Reap Me, Wrath. [Being Edited] - pyromaniac_mage (2024)

Chapter 1: [Y/N]

Chapter Text

Other info: Many see her as the embodiment of Wrath, due to her famous temper and intimidating aura which screams blood-lust. No one knows they are a woman (due to their cloak) and they want to keep it that way as the time being. They are quiet, and only talk if they want to. Despite how terrifying she appears, she is kind. In fact (later on) when she joins the Straw Hats, she starts to have a soft spot for the crew. Has slaughtered hundreds of people. For example, when they were undercover, they killed someone with a pencil.

Chapter 2: Chapter 1: Blood And Pirates

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Current Arc:Syrup Village Arc
Island: Baa Baa

The metallic scent of blood wafted through the air, licking at the uncertainty which had befallen them. Their eyes widened in horror, their mouth agape as sweat trailed down their skin. Reluctantly, they looked up, eyes watching the figure before them. A figure cascading the shadows while dressed in black held a double-edged scythe clenched in their grasp- from within, it bled with wrath and blood-lust. Sensing such withdrawal in the air, a sick joy manifested. Blood red dripped down the metal, sliding down the blade, and fell onto the ground below their feet. The ends of their cloak was coated with fresh blood, with flaky, dried blood stained across the bottom.

Each time they moved (feet only gliding inches from the floor) it left dark red footprints much like blood, staining the brown wood, seeping through until they floated closer, so the marks dissolved after just a few steps forward. [F/c] magic glowed around the blade, swirling it in the air so there was no need to use her hands. By mind and command alone, it obeyed what she told it to do. It was expected to be a simple detour. They had only meant for relaxation for perhaps a few days, three days maximum. But, someone must have told the Marines they were here. Were they too loud? Too jovial? It...no longer seemed to matter. They were all dead. Their crew were all dead...their bounty wasn't even that high, right? So what was the reason? This...wasn't right.

They had sealed their own fate by drinking and coming back to sleep it off. They should have just left whilst they still could. The pirates were making their way through town, shouting, cheering and had ended up on the boat. That must have been when this Marine had followed behind, as silent as a shadow, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It had been morning and there the Marine was on the boat, standing at the front.

The pirate scanned their eyes across the ship, taking in the shattered, wooden boards with splinters dotting across the threshold. Small, wooden pricks stabbed into their fingers. Dark blood poured from the wooden pricks, trailing down their fingers and leaving their fingers and hands stained. The crew were dotted across the wooden exterior of the ship in different positions.

Their Captain (the strongest man they had known, bless his soul), was against the railing with his famous lance straight through his heart. His eyes were pale white, white foam sprayed from his mouth. Blood trickled down the lance and stained his clothes. The first mate was in the sea, skin blue, and lips purple. They lay in the water on their front, feeling the coldness against their skin. The other crew members were either killed by a sword slash across the chest, or from a scythe. No one was alive.

The Reaper made sure.

Wordlessly, the cloaked figure turned, their eyes glowed through theirs. Eyes were often windows to the soul and this was no different; their eyes glared through theirs. The scythe turned, and before they could even register a scream, the scythe flew right towards them and the last thing they saw was a reaper with [e/c] eyes.

[Y/N], or Reaper as they were known as by the Marines, was floating cross-legged in front of one of the shops in town. To hide their voice, they tended to use magic to make it seem a lot deeper than it actually was. None of the Marines had ever actually seen her face either. [Y/N] inhaled, then exhaled, their eyes beneath their mask taking in the view of the sapphire blue sea pounding against the sand.This island was named 'Baa Baa'. It originated from the sheep who had protected the townspeople from harm for centuries. There was a marble statue in the centre of town of the very sheep, with its long, twisted horns and fluffy coat. This town was quite pleasant. The inn had beds made from the most comfortable wool (no one ever killed their sheep as a sign of respect to Baa Baa. Mutton was forbidden.) Many farmers tended to live here.

Maybe it would be nice to settle down here.

An annoyed, deep voice radiated from beside [Y/N], "Did you have to leave such a violent display? The townsfolk saw it all, for god sake! You need to be more careful, Reaper! Plus, you didn't have to kill them-" Guilt had already wormed its way into her soul. Killing them, the pirates, as she was sworn to do made her feel nothing short of emptiness. They had fought their best. They had worked together, as strong as a crew should be. But, her power was too much. Their lives crumbled before them, their candles blown out. And, she was the Reaper to take their souls. Would there even be a burial for them? They hadn't done anything, so why had the Government suddenly demanded for their deaths? Well, it's not as though she could question it. She was already one foot in the grave. Her life was in the government's hands.

[Y/N] turned their head to face him. The man in question had red hair kept up in a bun, with light blue eyes and light brown skin. A scar ran from his mouth to beside his left eye, where smaller, less clear scars were. He wore a black haori over a red and blue kimono, along with a pair of sandals and a single orange feather earring in his ear. A single sword, silver, with a brown hilt, and hidden sun markings (when he activated his flame magic) rested against his side. Its name was Sunrise. "And you didn't look at the bounty, did you, Eichi? It was a strictly 'kill' situation. Ask Lieutenant Hotaru if you have a problem."

Eichi smirked, patting her affectionately while she tried to swat away his hands. A whine erupted from the back of her throat but he didn't seem to care as he wrapped his arms around her, getting her into a headlock with a mischievous grin. "Do you ever like talking about anything to do with your emotions?" Another loud noise of defeat erupted from her as she gave in to her fate- to be kept in the headlock.
"You little sh*t-"

Before she could continue what she was saying, another Marine - which caused them to both turn and face them- bellowed as loudly as possible, "PIRATES AT THE DOCK! COME QUICKLY!"
Eichi sharply turned around and released her from the headlock immediately. He placed his hands on his hips. "Why don't you deal with it then?!" The Marine put up his hands in surrender, expression one of pure terror. They tried to say something, but the intense stare Eichi was sending him was something else.

Despite how intimidating Eichi could be, he was a secret softie. He was overprotective, and kind. Not that he would reveal that to anyone.

[Y/N]'s eyes traced over Eichi's fuming figure and couldn't help stifle a laugh. [Y/N] spoke, earning the attention of both Marines, "I will deal with it. Just make sure no civilians die." Without another word, she floated off towards the dock. She may not even have to fight them, plus what was the point? Half the time they didn't even do anything wrong. Well, she could only hope.

She floated down the street, looking from side-to-side before she reached the dock. It had numerous ships parked on either side of the dock (it was a simple walk by, made from wood. It had to be repaired quite a few times due to a few pirates but they managed) and she could see a small boat placed right at the end, where a couple of people were trying to get out of the boat.

Well, if you could call it a boat. It was tiny. Surely these weren't the people the Marine had shouted about? They didn't look like much.

Then again, appearances weren't everything. A girl with ginger hair was screaming at a black haired boy with a straw hat, whilst a man with green hair, and three swords seemed to be watching them with annoyance. He was resting against the side of the ship, his eyes narrowed. The ginger-haired girl clenched her fist, ready to strike.[Y/N] landed, placing both feet on the ground. She coughed. All three of them froze mid-action. They all turned around to face the Reaper, eyes almost bulging from their sockets. "So. Are you pirates?"

The ginger-haired girl gulped, and placed her hands behind her back. She flinched back in fear, taking a few step backwards, nearly falling into the sea behind her until the man with green hair pulled her forward. She was forced so violently forward she fell onto the side of the boat, knocking her head. She groaned in pain, rubbing her head with her hand. She looked up at the green haired man with anger. He simply scowled, his eyes watching the Reaper. His hand slowly went for his sword, his fingers tracing against the metal. He refused to look away.

He needed to make sure she didn't make any sudden moves.

[Y/N]'s eyes widened. Was it mean she wanted to laugh?

The boy with black-hair burst out laughing, throwing his head back. He laughed for a long time, only stopping once the girl finally got up and slammed her fist into the side of his head. He whined in pain, rubbing the side of it with his hand.

He pouted. "How did you know we were pirates?"
"Ah, so you are?" [Y/N] sighed. "Guess I will have to arrest you guys." Her arms flew from her tunic, still covering her entire body apart from her arms; she extended her arms on either side of herself, her eyes glowed with [f/c] magic. Her body started to rise into the air. Her hands raised, encircling before a scythe started to materialise from one of her hands. She used the other to tear it from her palm. Her eyes lit with magic. The scythe floated in the air, pointing at the black-haired boy, who was grinning. Why was he smiling? Everyone would have frozen in fear by now. Well, the ginger-haired girl seemed to be, whilst the green-haired man had now unsheathed one of his swords. "I don't like my job, so please make this quick."

"Then join my crew! You look scary and strong!" The boy grinned.
"LUFFY! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!"
[Y/N] tilted her head to the side. "What? Uh..." [Y/N] looked from side to side. Eichi was nowhere in sight. That was a good sign? Maybe.

This pirate was strange.

Chapter 3: Chapter 2: A Warning

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Syrup Village Arc
Island:Baa Baa

Luffy had been staring at [Y/N] for a long time, awaiting her answer with his hands on his hips. These pirates, by far, had been the strangest she had met. Those she had time to converse with had heard of her before, and immediately good nature, even pleasantry, turned to fear. One of them stood with their sword unsheathed, their eyes narrowed towards the marine, whilst the other two seemed excited, or terrified.

"I...is it ok if I say no?" The sudden shyness in her tone surprised them all. [Y/N] clicked her fingers to extinguish the scythe to her command. Zoro's eyes narrowed in confusion, his grip tightening around the hilt of the sword. He would not put down his guard. He was not naïve; this marine could turn on them at any moment, trick them even.

They had time to do so.

Luffy tilted his head to the side. "Why?"
[Y/N] started to float once again, pressing her fingers together underneath her cloak, before using one of her hands to properly reattach the mask to her face and make sure it didn't fall off. Her grand reveal was not close, not yet at least. "I am a marine, you know that, right?"
"You're too weird to be a marine-" [Y/N] furrowed her brow as Nami slammed her fist into the side of his head in an effort to silence him. [Y/N] wasn't quite offended, just...confused. True, she was a little strange (she wouldn't disagree since this was pretty much a fact by now) but that had nothing to do with being a marine.

For one, her own mother was a pirate and was one of the strangest demons person she knew. "I disagree, you pirates are a lot stranger."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Zoro demanded. [Y/N] turned her head to him. Her response was immediate.
"My ma's a pirate, you see," [Y/N] said. "Not that I think only pirates are unusual."
Zoro asked, lowering his sword so the blade slid against the floor. "How come you aren't a pirate then?"

"Oh, I became a marine to get back at her. She sold one of my swords to a random man in a bar. Some say i'm petty." Nami sweatdropped whilst Zoro seemed to give a slightly understanding look. They didn't quite expect this from a marine of all people. No point of knowing people who were normal. That would just be boring.
"That sounds petty..." Nami trailed off. "Who is she?"

"Oh! My ma goes by the title 'Silver Tongue'!"
"Wait..." Nami paled. "Your mother is Fuji [L/N]?! Pirate Captain of the "Saigai" Pirates?!" Zoro even seem dumbfounded. Luffy, on the other hand, tilted his head to the side in confusion. He didn't know who they were.
"Yeah, she's a terrifying woman. I get my spooky factor from her," [Y/N] smiled beneath her mask. This was far more amusing than she imagined. Talking about her mother, one of the most terrifying, formidable pirate Captains of the seas always made her giddy. The demonic marine mirrored her mother's actions, even some of her mannerisms over the years had been developed.

Fuji was not only a powerful woman, but an amazing mother. Fuji had been the one to mostly look after her, and [Y/N] herself had gone on many adventures alongside her mother and her crew, not only learning magic and her fighting skills from Silver Tongue, but also from her crew. They all acted like a family. Traveling across the seas had been her childhood.

Before [Y/N] could say anything, their time was interrupted by Eichi's voice in the distance, followed by Lieutenant Hotaru. [Y/N] swirled around, her cloak flowing around her body. Her heart slammed against her chest. Fear rose in her heart, fondly clasping it as though danger was nearby. The demon's eyes glowed red beneath her cloak, a familiar colour indeed. It suited her blade well, and it was her mother's favourite. But...the furious expression on Hotaru's face (narrowed eyes, glowing with anger, a deep frown and the way her hand hovered over her blade) sent a streak of danger.

Eichi must have told her...[Y/N] never took so long to kill or arrest the pirates. So, only one thought ran through their mind: she was being friendly with them.

"I know you guys just got here, but leave before Lieutenant Hotaru gets here," [Y/N] quickly turned back around to face the pirates. "Go to Syrup Village! I heard nice things about that place." That was a lie, but it was the only place she could think of. Before they could respond, [Y/N] pushed Luffy into the boat; he rolled backwards and landed in the boat, shouting something incoherent; her hand lit with [f/c] magic, the boat itself lit with [f/c] magic, as she violently threw her hand back, and the boat was thrown backwards at an extreme speed

The magic encasing her hand only extinguished as soon as Eichi and Hotaru stood before her. Hotaru had long, black hair down to her waist, bright, green eyes and pale skin adorned with long, silver scars. Eichi stood behind Hotaru, staring at [Y/N] with worry.

"Oh, sorry they were too far away." [Y/N] shrugged.
"THEY WERE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU!" Hotaru shrieked, nearly bursting a vein as her foot tapped against the ground.
"Whoops." [Y/N] tilted her head to the side, ignoring the stares on her back. She knew the pirates were watching them from afar, and could hear them clearly. Before [Y/N] or Eichi could fully react, Hotaru clenched her fist at her side and slammed it into the side of [Y/N]'s head. [Y/N] recoiled backwards, stepping back and nearly fell into the water until Hotaru grabbed her by the cloak and pulled her closer. She lowered her head so it was beside [Y/N]'s ear.

A warning, laced with venom and threat. "You disregard my authority like that ever again and your punishment won't quite be so light. Go after them." Eichi couldn't say anything as Hotaru let her go and walked off. Why did she want her to follow these pirates? Shouldn't she just stay where she was? Hotaru stopped, for a moment, turning her head a little to face her. "Eichi will be stationed here. Follow them." With that, she left, stepping through the town.

[Y/N] stared at the ground beneath her feet. Black blood rolled down the cut which had formed from the punch (it was still a surprise her mask and cloak were left untouched), and it managed to drip underneath the mask and dripped on the ground. Eichi stared, blankly. Nothing could escape from his throat. No words of encouragement, nothing. Hotaru could be harsh, even strict but this was something else. Perhaps Hotaru was only like this with [Y/N]...?

Nami's eyes widened slightly, and Zoro was no different. They both watched with shock and Luffy, who was being surprisingly quiet, tilted his hat down to cover his face and expression.

Even if she was a marine, that's not how you treat your own.

Current Destination:Syrup Village

It didn't quite take [Y/N] as long as she thought to get to Syrup Village. Ah, magic helped a lot with that type of thing. If she were to create a portal of some kind, that would take up too much of her energy. Her powers, ones she had learned from an early age (thanks to her mother), were strong and useful. Being able to walk on water was one of those abilities. The sea was terrifying and yet it was likely faster than asking to use a boat. Then again, maybe she should have asked...

No point of questioning her intelligence right now, she needed to find the Straw Hats.

But, she was expected to be stationed in at least one town. Perhaps the Government wanted her to take care of this certain gang for some reason. [Y/N] stepped across the water, taking one step at a time until her feet crunched against the sand. She rose up her cloak, slightly, so she could balance on one foot and wipe off the sand.

Oh, wait. That would be kind of pointless when this beach...was full of sand...

[Y/N] scowled, and cursed under her breath. The way the grainy sand managed to go in-between her toes made her feel uncomfortable and unpleasant. It just managed to slip in the most uncomfortable places and stick there. Slowly, [Y/N] rose into the air, starting to float. She crossed her legs in the air; she removed her right hand from her cloak to wipe off the sand from her feet.

Her feet were blackened, even pitch-black, with sharpened claws instead of toenails. The black hue rose from her feet to slightly above her ankles. It was one asset to her demonic appearance she couldn't quite hide with magic. Her horns and tail on the other hand? It was easy when you had a mask, and massive cloak. [Y/N] had nothing against telling people she was a demon, but showing them her appearance?

No. Just...no. The young demon was self-conscious over her appearance underneath the cloak (of course she tended to hide it by making jokes). She had always considered the possibility if she showed everyone what she looked like, they would no longer be afraid of her. Instead, they may judge her for her appearance, call her ugly, disgusting...there were so many thoughts she had dwelled on. They likely wouldn't happen but it didn't help to calm down her insecurities.

She forced herself cast all thoughts aside to focus on her goal. All she ever would be is an asset, and weapon to the Government to control.

She started to float a little in one direction, taking time to look at the orange-tinted crescent moon, whilst the calm waves slammed against the shore, how the trees rustled. It was surprisingly calm.

[Y/N] sighed, and looked from side-to-side, until she saw the pirates she had been looking for with a long-nosed person. Killing them right now, or arresting them, wouldn't quite be fun. She floated towards them no one noticed her. As silent as a shadow, she floated behind Luffy and listened into their conversation.

"Okay. At daybreak, the pirates will be landing at this shore to begin their attack. But the only way they'll be able to get to the village is to go up this slope. The rest of the shoreline is sheer cliffs, so they have to come through here." Usopp announces. They seem to move up the slope ([Y/N] follows behind, pretty much becoming Luffy's shadow) and they continued to listen to this boy's plan. "If we can fight them while they're funnelled into the narrow pass, their numbers won't mean anything, and the village will be protected."

Ah, protection mission. Fun.

"All right. Sounds pretty easy." Luffy comments.
"Talking about it is, but victory depends on our strength. What is it you guys can do?" Usopp asks.
"I cut."
"I stretch."
"I steal."
"I bend bones."
"I hide-wait, who...said that?" They all looked to him in confusion. Usopp was the first to look up at the source of the voice.

He eyes widened and he nearly shrieked at [Y/N]. Her cloak was fluttering, and her mask clinked. The aura behind her was dark and intimidating, so much so Usopp couldn't help but shiver as sweat rolled down his face. He pointed at [Y/N]. Arching their eyebrows, they turned around to see [Y/N] floating behind them.

"ARGHHH!" Usopp and Nami chorused.

"I'm that scary, huh?"

Chapter 4: Chapter 3: The Fight at Daybreak

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Syrup Village Arc
Current Destination:Syrup Village

As Usopp wrapped his arms around himself, [Y/N] introduced themselves. His skin had beads of sweat roll down his cheeks, trailing down his skin and fell onto the ground beneath his feet. Whilst Usopp was terrified (Nami had her hand against her chest, trying to calm down her heavy breathing whilst she glared at the embodiment of Wrath), Luffy's grin seemed to widen. His arms extended and wrapped around [Y/N], forcing her towards his body.

"E-Eh? L-Luffy? Why are you...?"

She had not had affection of any kind in years. That had been the last time she had seen her mother after all. According to rumours, Fuji appeared to be going in the same direction as these Straw Hats. Maybe she would see her soon? Nami slammed her fist into his head and Luffy only let [Y/N] go as he had to stroke his head to try to ease the pain. He started to whine.
"You can't just do that, Luffy!"

"Why not?"
"You don't even know them!"
Zoro added, "[Y/N] didn't seem to mind it." He smirked, his eyes scanning over [Y/N] who was floating, her face flushed underneath her mask. She zoned out, focusing on the crashing, blue waves in the distance. Luffy waved his hand in front of her face, trying to call her name until she stirred. She finally managed to wake up from her thoughts and landed beside him, her mask turned in his direction.

"Sorry, did you say something?"
"...were you listening in to our conversation?" Nami asked, crossing her arms over her chest. The ginger-haired woman quirked her eyebrow with something between amusem*nt and slight annoyance as Luffy started to press his fingers against her mask, or tried to remove it. When he did, with one yank (before anyone could say anything to counteract his action, they all gaped at her face.

Black blood dripped down from the blackened void devoid of light. It trailed down her face, landing on her floating cloak in black droplets. They all watched in horror as she cracked her neck to the side and a pair of white eyes shone brightly. Usopp jumped back in fear, screeching his lungs out. Nami paled, soon joining Usopp in shouting herself. Zoro, on the other hand, simply paled, and took a step back, shakily attempting to unsheathe his sword.

And Luffy? Sweat trailed down his face, but his iconic grin was still across his face.

[Y/N] grabbed the mask back from his hands and slipped it onto her face, clicking it into place around the back of her head. This magic was simple if you were born into a family of demons. For [Y/N], it was the first she was taught. Shadow magic, (along with illusion magic), wasn't weak by any standards. It was strong if you were able to utilise it correctly. It was an ancient magic going back to ancient demons, and the Shadow folk who created such magic. They were her ancestors, and only so many could be taught it, and use it.

Even so, being able to blend into the shadows, or become a shadow yourself (along with using shadow to fight, of course), intertwined often with illusion. This generated fear amongst those aware of such a magic existing.

"I would be lying if I said no," [Y/N] spoke, craning her head a little towards Nami, Zoro and Usopp. "Ah, did I scare you?" Her smirk widened beneath her mask. She was a little sad*stic with that sort of thing. Causing fear was humorous.
"Y-Yes, you did," Usopp admitted. He was still trembling, and he could feel her eyes trail over him. It sent a trickle of fear down his spine,
"No, you didn't."

Nami narrowed her eyes at Zoro, her eyes trailing down to his hand trembling against his blade. "Liar." Zoro glared in her direction, insulting her. This started an argument between the pair. Usopp stared at them for a moment before turning his attention towards [Y/N] and Luffy (it didn't take a genius to see that Luffy was tempted to remove her mask again).

"You were planning on protecting someone? That is at least what I managed to decipher," [Y/N] began. "At least, I will lend my strength if you do not mind."
"...you would?" Usopp asked, slowly unwrapping his arms from around himself. "Aren't you a Marine? Or...evil?" This managed to break Zoro and Nami from their argument as they felt the air still. The sudden mention of a 'Marine' caused them to remember the scene they had witnessed.

Luffy's expression changed in a split second. Now, it was serious. Something [Y/N] had not quite expected. Even Zoro and Nami, who had been with him the longest (even if he had his serious moments) were still surprised by this sudden change in demeanour. Usopp furrowed his brow, turning to stare at them in confusion. "Did...I say something?"
"No, don't worry," [Y/N] said, her tone sympathetic. It was enough to make his cheeks flush a little; to him, her voice was as sweet as honey.

"Is that how your nakama treat you?"
[Y/N] turned to face him. "Oh, you mean Hotaru?" Nami and Usopp both shouted 'LIEUTENANT HOTARU??!' in the distance. "It's fairly normal when I fail to do something under her command. 'Discipline' she calls it. It's fine, I'm kind of an idiot-" Luffy's expression darkened further. [Y/N] took a step back, a trail of fear trailing down her back uncomfortably.

She may be a demon, a powerful one at that, but, shouting reminded her of someone in particular. All the insults...

Familiar. How peculiar, and unpleasant. Just...why? Why did she have to be reminded right now?

Zoro slid his sword back into his sheath. He narrowed his eyes, a sense of unpleasantness in his tone as he spoke. "You seem to be blaming yourself for what happened. Don't be like that."
Nami furrowed her eyebrows, huffing at Zoro's remark. "I'm surprised you managed to make some sense-" Zoro snarled. "-but, he is right, in a way."
"Let's just protect this stranger I don't know-"
"-[Y/N]-"
"-Listen to me. Let's just forget about this," [Y/N] spoke.

Before anyone could say anything else, she stepped forward, trying to think of where she was going before she just stood there.

"Actually, where are we going?"

Usopp, Nami and [Y/N], Luffy and Zoro were fighting off some of the bandits. Somehow, Nami, Luffy and Zoro had managed to get lost before joining up with the embodiment of Wrath and Usopp. Which led to the argument currently unfolding. It was enough to make [Y/N] laugh as she dodged away from any of the bandits, simply removing her hands from her cloak and punching them away.

"Could you have been slower?" Nami complains. "What took you so long?"
Zoro growls. "You're the one who pushed me down the oil slick, so you could get out!" [Y/N] burst into a fit of laughter. His face flushed with embarrassment. "Don't you dare laugh, [Y/N]!" This caused [Y/N] to laugh even more to the point they started to snort on imagining the scene of Nami pushing Zoro out of the way in order to save herself from slipping. Zoro had to grab hold of both of her shoulders, rising her into the air slightly, to make them dodge out of the way of one of the bandits.

"Be careful!"
"Thanks, Zoro." He scoffed, ignoring the flush across his cheeks as he placed her back down on her feet.

Nami said, "It was an accident. I slipped, you fell. At least one of us made it out of there. That's better than both of us being stuck at the bottom."
"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!"He growls again, his hands gripping harshly on the hilt of his sword. [Y/N] patted his shoulder, trying to stop chuckling. His eyes trailed over her arm, which had blackened skin, and tattoos etched in with the appearance of vines and small imps. They seemed old, and dark red. Possibly, it was from when she was a young child.

Interesting.

[Y/N] could feel his stare lingering on her arm, her very tattoos etched into her flesh when she was a young child. It was a tradition withheld through her family, and the first set of tattoos were placed on your arms and other areas when you were a young child. When you were fairly older, you had tattoos etched into your flesh depending on your position, and magic.

"'Run straight north."He says. That's great! I mean how am I supposed to know which way north even is out here, huh?" Luffy seems to fume. [Y/N] shakes her head in amusem*nt, leaning against Zoro more than she intended. His face flushed, but he made no comment. He was warm. Like a moth to a flame she followed wherever there may be warmth. She barely became boiling hot, but being cold was another story.

"Luffy, dearest, you could have followed me," [Y/N] managed between chuckles. "I'm not the hardest person to notice. Next time, why don't you hold onto my cloak?" [Y/N] couldn't help but smile at the beam across his face or the slight change in his demeanour.

Just being amongst these people made her feel better and feel seen, more so than she had been in a long time.
"They're right! You're the one who ran away so sure of yourself, ready to take on anyone!" Usopp groans.
"Well I got so excited I started running, you know." Luffy explained.

Some of the Black Cat Pirates had bluey black bruises forming across the skin, laying down, defeated, whilst Jango appeared to be the only one left standing. The defeated try to lift themselves up from the ground but they didn't have the strength to do so. Jango reaches into his coat pocket, taking out a pendulum and starts to swing it before the weakened men.
"If our enemy is strong, then we must become stronger than them. Here, stare deeply into this ring. Now I will count. One...Two...You will all begin to grow stronger, your wounds will heal, and you will grow stronger still." He commands, demanding for the fallen men to listen.
"So, what is he doing? It looks weird," Luffy commented.

"Looks like hypnosis. He's trying to convince them they're stronger than they are. Like that'll work," Nami criticizes.
"Stronger!" Jango commands. "One, two,JANGO!"The Black Cat Pirates suddenly bellow and cheer, getting to their feet. Their eyes were completely white, devoid of any iris or pupil. Nami shouted "no way!" as one of the pirates throws a punch towards the cliff and a large chunk breaks off from the impact.

"That one guy completely destroyed the cliff! Now that's what I call power!" Zoro seems to admire, his eyes widening at the massive chunk missing.
"I always thought hypnotizing people was a bunch of crap."

"Not if you gorge onto one's worst fears and use it," [Y/N] mused to herself. Usopp and Nami looked to her with slight fear. "Ah, fear is quite fun, actually."
"I DIDN'T REALISE WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF A sad*st!"
"Huh? Oh yeah," [Y/N] said simply.
"DON'T RESPOND SO CASUALLY LIKE THAT!" Nami demanded. The embodiment of Wrath shrugged her shoulders, only placing her hands up in mock surrender when Nami seemed as though she was ready to yell.

The Captain suddenly growls, lifting up his head to reveal the same white eyes similar to the hypnotized Black Cat Pirates. [Y/N] stepped closer to him, her eyes narrowing beneath her mask. Ah, so he too had been hypnotized. She forced herself to suppress a chuckle. This pirate, self-proclaimed future Pirate King, had somehow become muddled up with hypnotisation. It would likely disappear soon, or, her favourite, if she knocked him out he would return to normal.

No, [Y/N] wasn't a sad*st. At least, that is what she thought.

"Don't tell me you let that freak hypnotize you too?!" Zoro yells.
"Ugh! He really is a simple-minded idiot!"

"GUM-GUM GATLING!"In just a split second, Luffy's arms stretch, flying in different directions as he easily defeated all of the pirates. [Y/N]'s eyes widened beneath her mask, glowing a vibrant, blood red. She watched him move, throwing his fist into the face of another pirate, his arms like elastic. He is stronger than I thought he was. What an odd power he possesses.Some of the pirates soon run off, tripping and falling down the slope whilst Luffy ignored them and headed towards the bow of the Black Cat Pirates ship.
"Where's he going?" Zoro wonders aloud. [Y/N] snorts, her eyes watching the Pirate Captain.

Luffy then grips onto the cat shaped bow decoration of the ship and tears it off as though he possessed phenomenal strength. His glare soon lands on the other Black Cat Pirates, and still holding onto the bow of the ship, the pirates run up the sloped path.
"Captain, do something!"
Jango once again brings out his pendulum. "One, two, Jango! You will fall asleep!" His hypnosis takes effect. Luffy falls asleep, causing the cat-shaped bow to fall on top of him, also crushing the other pirates.

Jango is the only one still standing after Luffy's attack.

"Come forth! Meowban Brothers!" Jango yells. Two figures leap from the ship and land on the fallen bow near the hypnotist. One is a very rounded man wearing a strange hat covering some of his eyes whilst a pair of cat ears poked up. He also wore vertically striped red and black trousers, tied by a yellow-orange sash around his stomach. Along with a cape along his back, also wearing dark brown shoes and a large bell was tied around his neck.

The second figure was more slim, but he seemed to arch his back, hunching forward. His green hair parted off to the side, with a navy-blue shirt with grey buttons, a magenta bow tie, light-blue shorts and brown shoes. The gloves he wore had claws growing from the fingertips. "Siam!" The green-haired one announces.
"And Butchie!" The rounder one continues.

Jango starts to explain their current dire circ*mstances, how they needed to get to the village and take care of the obstacles in the way. Of course, he was referring to the Straw Hats. The two brothers swivel around to face Zoro's glare. "No way! We couldn't do that! They look too strong, right, Butchie?"
"Oh yeah, they're strong. Way stronger than us."

"Huh?"Zoro questions, quirking his eyebrow in confusion. Soon enough, it takes Jango to scold them both but he manages to send Siam up the slope. [Y/N] blinks her eyes, her previously [e/c] hue changing to a blood red. Before anyone said something, [Y/N] extended her arm before her, the very tattoos etched into her skin began to glow a faint, dark red. Black blood dripped from the very skin, from each detail. [Y/N] trailed her hand in a circle, tracing it over in the air. As he neared Zoro, he managed to take both of his katanas.

The green-haired swordsman looked down at his sides in confusion, feeling a lot lighter. No metal grazed against his sides.
"Are you missing something?" Siam taunts. "Not that I would know anything about it." [Y/N] then clicked her fingers; her other arm escaped from her cloak and trailed a symbol in the shape of a pentagram across her burned flesh."Egac!"A pentagram appeared below Siam's feet. He barely had anytime to register it, as multiple lights rained down, two circles forming at the bottom and above, trapping him in a cage. He couldn't move as she stepped forward, easily grabbing both katanas from his old.

Siam was much like a painting, frozen in time.

[Y/N] passes Zoro back his swords and he looks to her in confusion. "Thanks, [Y/N]." [Y/N] nodded, patting him on the shoulder.
"Pick someone to fight against."
"I want the fat one." He smirked.
"Ah, fun! I get the skinny one! Perhaps we can make you into a real-life painting!"

Siam tried to shake his head but he couldn't. He couldn't move anything but his eyes. Nami and Usopp both gained at her use of magic, questioning the use of this ancient language they hadn't quite heard before. "What...did you say?"
"Just ancient dialect only a fair few speak."

No, this may not be as fun if he was unable to move. In fact, that would be dishonourable. [Y/N] clicked her fingers, and the cage extinguished at her command. Siam shakily stood up after falling over, his eyes widened in fear. He watched her cloak slowly move around her like liquid, how her body started to float in the air as her mask, littered by scratch marks, watched him.

"I told you. Fear is fun, I work best with it,"[Y/N] humourlessly laughed."They call me the Reaper! And you...oh! Don't worry, this will be quick!"Nami, Usopp and Zoro sweatdropped at the scene. For a marine, she seemed a little...blood-thirsty.

"YOU'RE SCARY!"

Suddenly, Jango screams in terror. Kuro was atop the sloped path with a duffel bag in his hand. "No. I'm sorry. I can explain all of this." Jango stammers in fear.
Kuro pushes up his glasses. "The night has long since passed. So why is it that you seem to have made no progress on the plan?" He demands, sounding quite calm considering their plan was failing so far.

But...

That calmness was short lived. The Black Cat Pirates, including Siam and Butchie, shake in their boots, fearing for their lives.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Kuso roars.

Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Kuro Becomes More of A Problem, Damn.

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Syrup Village Arc
Current Destination:Syrup Village

All eyes were now on Kuro as the air stilled. No one spoke a word, or even dared to. Even his crew were completely silent as he seemed to glare at them all, before focusing his attention on Jango. "To think these brats have held you back," Kuro starts, dropping the duffel bag beside him. "How the Black Cat Pirates have fallen." His veins pop on the side of his head, as his temper started to rise. "What have you got to say for yourself,JANGO!"

[Y/N] narrowed her eyes towards Kuro. There was something familiar about this black-suit clad man. The way his eyes seemed to narrow towards them all, judging them all as though they were beneath him. She wasn't listening to what he was shouting at Jango, or any of the pirates. No, she was focused on the fact she may have fought him before. This couldn't be a coincidence. Right?

Klahadore.That rung a bell. But where did the name come from all of a sudden? Klahadore was a man who was said to have been caught, and executed by the Marines after multiple accounts of murder, hypnotism and even treason. [Y/N] watches in confusion as the two cat-like brothers from earlier prepare their claws, ready to slice Kuro to ribbons. Kuro moves the duffel bag in front of his body, taking the attack before disappearing. The bag he held is sliced into pieces, but, himself and what was contained within the duffel bag.

He suddenly appears behind them both, his signature weapons, sharp, long swords much like claws where each finger was. Zoro questions, a look of shock across his face. "What...He's behind them...How the hell did he...? And what's with those crazy weapons?" There was no doubt about it now. This was definitely Klahadore, the very man she had helped to arrest herself. Just how was he alive to this day? He was supposed to be executed.

"Who? Who are you going to kill?" Kuro demands, holding up his bladed fingers.
"He snuck up..." Siam starts as both of the Meowban Brothers face Kuro. "Right behind us." Butchie finishes. Kuro vanishes for a moment, and reappears behind them both. As he is about to put his arms around their necks, [Y/N] reappears behind him and raises her leg, throwing it towards him. Kuro only manages, just in time, to put up his claws and stop her from throwing her leg against his head.

The air around them spiralled around them from the force of the attack, and the earth started to shatter beneath where Kuro was standing, as sweat rolled down his face, the smirk from before completely disappeared. Nami and Usopp both paled at the sight: involuntarily, they both shivered as darkness and malice licked at the very air around [Y/N]. The aura from behind the Marine seemed to bleed through more and more, dark eyes blinking, watching, as smiles full of sharpened fangs seemed to float in the air, a forked tongue dragging across their fangs.

Zoro could only watch in slight awe (as well as slight fear. He couldn't even imagine if she wasn't on their team. Kinda), at the sight before him. His own desire for battle was starting to trickle through, and he couldn't wait for the thrill of battle. It thundered and spiralled around his chest like a wild fire, brazen, and uncontrollable.

Underneath [Y/N]'s mask, her markings were starting to trail across her [s/c] flesh with a dark red glow, as her eyes bled. It trailed down her cheeks as she focused on the task at hand, at withholding the every wrath encasing her soul, ready to be free from its cage.

It wasn't just herself who had taken care of Klahadore. Oh no, it had also been Hotaru. That conniving bitch. They had likely made a deal and she had let him go, giving someone else as tribute so she could move up in the ranks. It just sounded like Hotaru.
"Klahadore, what a nice surprise,"[Y/N] seethed, with a tone venomous enough to make Nami, Usopp and Zoro shiver.

Nami asked, "Wait, they know each other?"
Zoro looked over to the red-head and crossed his arms against his chest. "It's likely they have met before."
Nami squinted her eyes at him. "I didn't know you could be so intelligent." It takes a moment for Zoro to realise this was sarcasm. He turned his head to the side, towards Nami, in a glare.

Kuro smirked, his eyes glinting in recognition. "Reaper. What an unexpected reunion. Didn't expect me to be alive, did you?" They both stayed in the same positions, the air around them growing tense by the second. Neither dared to move.
"No, I didn't. Hotaru must have been helpful,"Kuro paled, and seemed to snarl in response to that name. It must have struck a nerve as he removed his claws from underneath her leg and jumped as she landed on both of her feet."I knew she had bad taste, but this is something else."

Usopp remarked, "Huh?"
Zoro narrowed his eyes towards them and Nami blinked her eyes a few times, not sure whether she heard it correctly.

"Hotaru never had the greatest taste for people she slept with,"[Y/N] remarked, unaware of Kuro's slightly flushed cheeks and furious glare. His temper had been slowly rising to begin with, but this was something else. The remaining Black Cat Pirates started to laugh, and tried to hold their laughter by holding their hands against their mouths, turning around to ignore the dark glare Kuro was sending everyone."You didn't even have to be good. Were you? She looks moody all the time so I'm going to just say no."

Usopp and Nami stared at [Y/N] blankly. Just...what was she? No one would react this way, right? Still, from how bluntly she spoke, they couldn't help but blush. God knows how far she may go if she was this blunt normally.

[Y/N] played with the sleeve of her robe, unaware of the seething Kuro. Instead, she poked at what she wore, blinking her eyes at the slightly torn clothing. She hummed to herself, raising her leg slightly so she could see the sand at the bottom of her feet. She scowled in annoyance and allowed one of her hands to wipe off some of the excess sand, as she hissed to herself. Instead of saying anything, Zoro quirked his eyebrow before walking over to [Y/N] and tapped her on the shoulder.

She looked up at him. Before she could respond, he placed his arms underneath her so he could pick her up bridle style. Underneath her mask, her face was burning bright red as he wrapped his arms a little tighter around her legs. He ignored his own flush across his cheeks. It seemed quite out of character for the swordsman. Even if he didn't say a word, he understood she had no shoes so...he picked her up. Bridle style.

It seemed to make sense at the time...of thinking? Now, he could sense the sneaky glances Nami was sending his way. He was awaiting for the judgement, and mocking tone. [Y/N] was frozen against his chest, making no effort to move. She could just float, but she felt no need to say that. He was warm. And she liked the warmth. She didn't even expect for the somewhat serious swordsman to even pick her up like this, or hold her close. It was weird, in a way.

Nami leaps from the cliff and heads towards Luffy, who is still resting under the cat-shaped bow. Jango throws his pendulum towards Nami, who is completely unaware as she is too busy stepping on Luffy's face."Get up, you bum!" Suddenly, Luffy wakes up, and pulls Nami off her feet by her ankle, now standing where she once stood. Of course, being stood on doesn't make you go in the best of moods so it made sense he was angry.
"Nami! You cannot just go around stepping on people's eyes!" He shouts. He looks over to Zoro and [Y/N]. "Hey, why are you carrying them like that? Could you carry me, Zoro?!"

"I was trained this way, so I'm just used to it," [Y/N] spoke.
Zoro asked, "Did your mother train you that way?"
[Y/N] shook her head. "No, but my old man did." Something from the way she said it, or the way she seemed to shudder when it passed her lips, made him feel off. It lacked any emotion, but darkness surrounded it, as though a secret was to be kept, and hidden.

All of a sudden, the bladed weapon strikes Luffy. "No! How is the twerp still alive?!" Jango cries.
"Stubbornness." [Y/N] remarked.
"That or he has either the best or worst timing in the world."
"Stubbornness sounds better," [Y/N] replies, watching with amusem*nt as Luffy doesn't fall from the impact itself, as he soon straightens back up, revealing the ring between his teeth and he crunches down on it, breaking it into pieces.

"Luffy!" Nami cries with joy. Luffy proceeds to poke the cut he received from the weapon, and being as clever as he usually is, shouted, "OOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!"

"Does it taste nice?"
"Not really."
"...can I taste it?"
"No," Zoro remarks.
"I wanna eat it though-"
"[Y/N], no."
"[Y/N] yes." Zoro glared down at her, his eye starting to twitch. Nevermind his previous thoughts on how interesting it may be to fight her, now he was focused on the fact she was starting to grate a little on his nerves.

Whilst this was taking place, Kaya had appeared [on the battlefield] nearby, where Kuro has reappeared and now, stands before Usopp and the one he had sworn to serve. She has an outburst, and all turns silent as she speaks. Her voice may be kind, and soft, but it rose and wavered as her temper seemed to rise. After seeing Usopp's sorry state, this seemed to be the last straw.

"I know what you're up to; Merry and Carmela already told me about everything." Kaya states as she gets to her feet. "Klahadore, please. If you want my fortune, you can have it. Take it all and leave the village right now! I'm begging you!"
"I will gladly accept your fortune, Miss Kaya. Thank you." Kuro replies, pushing up his glasses. "But I want more. You see, simply acquiring wealth isn't enough. More than anything else, what I want is peace."

That seemed hard to believe. For one thing, this man had killed numerous people. Two, well...he was a manipulative bastard. To put it mildly. He didn't have a good bone in his body and it was evident he would attempt to manipulate Kaya by using her own kindness against her. Kaya starts to tremble, and reveals what is within her coat pocket: a pistol. Usopp tries to persuade her that she must run away. Of course, she stands, her fingers still inches away from the pistol. She grabs hold of it, pointing it at the man.

"Miss Kaya, don't you remember everything we went through? We spent so much time together, " He speaks softly, and his calm tone is an attempt to coax her into forgetting the gun completely. He removes one of his Cat Claws. "Even before your dear, sweet parents passed away." He fixes his glasses again with his ungloved hand. [Y/N] soon appears, running towards them all. Kuro doesn't acknowledge her, instead, he focuses on Kaya whilst [Y/N] stands behind them. "Kaya, listen to me. I was so devoted to you for so long. So very long." He grips the gun, tightening. "I endured it." His head lowers, the shadows casting a haunted look. "I quietly suffered so that today I could end your life and take everything that I deserve." He then yanks the gun away from her hands. "I was once the feared and respected Captain Kuro had to bow and humble myself for some snot-nosed little girl. It went against every fibre of my being."

"Damn...you." Usopp groans.
"Can you understand the depth of these daily insults? Can you understand the rage created by those transgressions against my pride?" Kuro questions.
Usopp somehow manages to stand, with his gun in his hand."KURO!"He fires the pistol, but Kuro manages to dodge the attack, his Cat Claws caging Usopp's head with his blades.
"Usopp, I owe you for hitting me." Kuro mocks. "As I recall you hit me as hard as you could right?"

"Yeah, hit you as hard as possible."Before he could react, [Y/N] propels her fist forward and slams it into the side of his face, her eyes glowing with magic. He is thrown backwards, blood pouring out of his mouth from the blow. It splatters the floor as he falls."Luffy!"Luffy beams, and uses his rubber abilities to give Kuro a good punch, knocking him back even further.

"He hates getting hit that much, he's about to have a really bad day!" They both say together.

Chapter 6: Chapter 5: A Demon and A Rubber Pirate

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Syrup Village Arc
Current Destination:Syrup Village

All eyes landed on Kuro's body as it was tossed around into the air and landed in a heap as he landed on his back. Kuro's crew took no time in shouting of Luffy's strange rubber ability. The glasses resting against Kuro's nose was tilted a little to the side since the lens was completely shattered. Fragments of glass littered the ground beneath his body: a malicious scowl widened across his face, aimed towards Luffy- who was cracking his fingers for the upcoming fight- and [Y/N] who now stood beside Luffy.

All of a sudden, The Usopp pirates burst forward and beat Kuro on the head with their makeshift weapons. [Y/N] tilted her head to the side, scratching her mask underneath her cloak. She stepped forward a little, taking a few cautious steps forward. Having children getting involved in fighting never tended to end well- she knew herself from first hand experience.

"No, don't!" Usopp shouts, as [Y/N] now stands behind the children.
"Stay away!" Kaya screams, yet it doesn't help as the children continue to beat Kuro with their weapons whilst shouting their own remarks. [Y/N] hums to herself for a moment, trying to decide how she was going to scoop them all up.

Without another word, [Y/N] picked them all up into her arms with ease, taking no notice as they started to complain. They eyes drifted from Kuro's body, as they dropped the weapons, to [Y/N]'s expression. All of them froze as she moved her head a little, turning towards them. An air of maliciousness and fear ran down their spines at the mask bounding her face and concealing it.

[Y/N] plopped the children down in front of Usopp. "Here are some children. Your children? Or random children?"
Usopp sweat dropped. "Please stop saying 'children'! And they are apart of the 'Usopp Pirates!" He pushed out his chest in pride despite his injuries. Kuro had finally managed to stand but as he removed his glasses from his nose, the other lens seemed to shatter.

Before anyone could do anything, Kuro delivered a swift kick to Usopp's gut, knocking him a little side ways down the slope. "Captain!" The Usopp Pirates shouted as Usopp lays on his side, groaning in pain. [Y/N] jumps down and lands before Usopp. She kneels down, and carefully lifted his shirt a little to see the forming blue-purple bruises along his stomach, along with a few new scratches as droplets of red blood dripped down and stained his shirt. Usopp splutters in embarrassment, his cheeks enflamed with a burning, red blush.

"Sorry, this might be cold," [Y/N] murmured to herself. She removed her hand from her cloak- Zoro had wandered over, his hand grasping at his sword as he watched- as [f/c] magic threaded through her veins, in-between her fingers. It started to glow: she pressed her hand against where the bruises and scratches were forming. Usopp yelped from the coldness of the magic and Zoro didn't even try to hide his amusem*nt and snort. Somehow, Usopp's cheeks darkened even further.

Usopp's eyes trailed from her hands to her mask. She had a violent reputation in the Marines. She was thought to be cold and calculating, that she was a weapon to be used and to not be befriended. That shecouldn'tbe befriended since she was a monster. But right now? All Usopp could see was the sweetness and kindness of her heart. It was true she terrified him, but she was at least on their side.

"That hurt," Kuro declares, his steely gaze on Luffy. "My, my that's quite a strange technique you've developed there." He then turns towards [Y/N], his frown deepening. "And Reaper, I never expected to be taken by surprise by you again. I seem to have underestimated you." She didn't even raise her head to acknowledge his comment. He turns towards Luffy. "Tell me something: do you have powers from eating the Devil Fruit?"
"Yep, I'm a rubber man," Luffy answers with a smirk.

It takes no time for the Black Cat Pirates to begin to freak out.

"I can handle the woman and the boy. You take care of Miss Kaya like we planned. Have her write her butler into her will...The kill her. As for the kids: they're an eyesore-"
"-so is your face-" [Y/N] muttered to herself, loud enough for the children to hear. They started to cackle a little and concealed their smiles with their hands. Zoro looked down at them in confusion. "Eliminate them."

Jango begins to walk up the slope to carry out Kuro's orders, but is soon stopped by Zoro holding out his swords and blocking the way.
"Stop right there." He says. "You want to get to them, you'll have to make it through me first."
"Yeah, the hot swordsman won't let you pass!" [Y/N] shouts, her hands still pressed against Usopp's stomach. Zoro splutters, turning his head aggressively towards [Y/N] who simply waved in his direction.

He growled and cursed under his breath, ignoring the redness coating his cheeks.

After some fighting ensues, including breaking a few of Kuro's blades, which were similar to that of cat claws, Luffy and [Y/N] stood beside each other, outweighing the options. It wouldn't be before long that they would beat him. Thankfully, Usopp's wounds had been healed so he had managed to help Zoro with defeating Jango.

There was still one thought that lingered on her mind, ever since she had found out this man had not died years prior. Before Luffy could say anything, she ran forward, dodging his slashes sent in her direction; she jumped, and threw her leg in his direction. He was unable to deflect it in time so it slammed into his face and he collapsed on his back. She landed, one foot hovering over his face whilst the other was beside his head.

Kuro flinched as she spoke,"I did want to know, is Hotaru a traitor?"Her leg neared his head as she tilted her head to the side."Why would she help you? Imagine defacing your own name. You are a disappointment to Pirates everywhere, Klahadore."He slashed one of his claws in her direction and she dodged it just in time. She landed on both of her feet as he clenched his claws aggressively in front of his face, his anger rising by the second. He ran forward, and was about to slice at her before Luffy extended his arm and threw it into Kuro's face.

He recoiled backwards: [Y/N] took this to allow magic to thread through her fingers and veins until her entire arm blazed with magic. She traced her fingers in the air, and muttered, her body descending into the air:"Sniahc!"All of a sudden, chains glowing with [f/c] magic rose from behind Wrath incarnate, and wrapped around Kuro, tightening and tightening until he dropped the claws and they landed in the sand. [Y/N] tilts her head to the side, feeling terrified stares on her back and ignored it."Luffy, it's your turn."The Pirate Captain took no time in slamming his fist into the side of his face and he was knocked out.

Carefully, [Y/N] descended, and clicked her fingers to extinguish the magic from in-between her fingers and around her arm. Luffy chucked Kuro towards his crew and the Black Cat Pirates immediately fled.

Usopp chuckles nervously. "Thanks guys. I wouldn't have been able to protect the village without you."
"Give credit where credit's due. If you just stood by and done nothing, we wouldn't have done anything either." Zoro replies, placing his sword back into his sheathe. [Y/N] steps towards them and stands beside Zoro.
"Yeah! Same here!" Luffy says.
"Who cares about any of that? I've got my hands on this sweet, sweet treasure now and I couldn't be happier!" Nami squeals, rubbing her face into the sack of stolen goods. [Y/N] laughs a little, her smile widening.

"I would have to say, I think the fighting is enough for me," [Y/N] muses to herself. "Didn't think I would be kicking Kuro's arse, and I might do the same with Hotaru." Usopp laughs a little at her tone before his expression turns serious and he stares off into the sea.

A little later...

Kaya leads them all to the shore where the boats are anchored. Everyone looks in awe at the ship in the water: the head looks like a ram, with one cannon stationed at the front of the ship and it has fine light brown wood, and metal. A massive flag, blank, with nothing on it, was spread across the front, facing forward. "A real caravel!" Nami exclaims.
"Are you actually giving this to us?!" Luffy shouts.
"Mmhm. As a token of my appreciation." Kaya says.

"It's a slightly older model, but I personally designed it and she sails like a dream," Kaya's butler, Merry, explains. "She has a carvel-make carvel with lateen sails and a central stern rudder. She's a fine ship and her name is theGoing Merry."He continues to explain the works of the ship, and Nami steps on to learn the inner workings of the ship. [Y/N] floats over to Luffy.
"Would it be alright if I travel with you guys for a little bit?"
"Are you going to join the crew?"
"Not yet," [Y/N] whispers. "But soon." He wants to ask why, but is stopped short of what he's about to say upon seeing Usopp rolling down the slope due to wearing an overstuffed backpack.

"Somebody stop this thing!" He begs.
"Oh no! Usopp!" Kaya cries.
"Hey, what's he doing? Looks fun." Luffy says, not quite realising Usoppdidn'twant to be rolling down the hill. [Y/N] clicks her fingers and a [f/c] magic envelops his entire body so he is carefully placed onto the beach's shore. He thanks her, and gets up once she helps to remove the backpack from his back. He talks to Kaya regarding his decision, and she seems more than happy he will finally be travelling the sea.

"You guys take care," Usopp calls from the beach's shore. "I hope we can meet again sometime."
"How come?" Luffy asks Usopp.
Usopp's cheerful demeanour turns sour. "Well because I..." He pauses, and mumbles something incoherent under his breath. "...I'm taking off for life on the high seas and I hope that we'll eventually meet again. That's all." He explains.

[Y/N] tilts her head to the side before she lands on the floor. She says, "I believe you are misunderstanding something, Usopp." Usopp turns to her in confusion.
"We're friends, right? So, get on." Luffy explains.
Usopp is frozen in place, still gaping. Suddenly, he jumps excitedly into the air in joy. "I'm really a pirate captain now!"

Everyone laughs as Usopp climbs aboard with his gigantic backpack, and they finally set sail. Everyone starts to party, each one of them raising up a mug.

"CHEERSto a new ship and a new crewman!" Cheers Luffy. Everyone clinks their drinks together and drinks them in one gulp.

Well, adventures don't always start out the way you expect it to.

Next arc:Baratie

Chapter 7: Chapter 6: Johnny, Yosaku and Silver Tongue

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Baratie Arc

Magic softly caressed [Y/N]'s fingers; the darkness wraps around each finger, swirling around each until she outstretches her arm out right before herself, her palm pointed towards the bright blue sea. Her body floats just above the ship, her feet almost grazing the wood. The cloak she wore completely covered her body, moving around her figure as though it was a liquid, being careful to not quite show her shape.

[Y/N] closes her eyes, and allows her [f/c] magic to cause her outstretched palm to glow with the same hue. The sea, previously calm and undeterred by uncontrolled weather, started to hit more against the sides of the ship. The waves started to rise, and upon her turning her palm to her right, the waves began to go towards the right, slowly growing in size. Whilst the Reaper attempts to practice her water magic, everyone else appears to be having a conversation regarding the kitchen, and other roles for the ship. They were inside the kitchen, as far as she was aware.

All of a sudden she heard footsteps coming from behind her. The Reaper turns, her hand still outstretched, to pass a glance towards a man on the main deck: he was a young man with tan skin, dressed in a dark purple shirt, a light blue hoodie, along with white trousers and a pair of sunglasses covers his eyes. She parts her lips, about to ask him a question until Luffy emerges from the door.

"Hey, what the hell? Who are you?" He demands.
"Shut up! Who I am means nothing, ya stinkin' pirate!" The man shouts. He lunges forward and slices the railing in the gallery with his large sword, nearly cutting Luffy along with it.
"Hey, how many are there?" Zoro asks.
"Around one," [Y/N] answers, placing her hand back within her cloak. She watches as Luffy easily beats him. It didn't seem to take much.

Zoro soon comes outside as well, and stares at this man with familiarity. "Johnny...tell me that isn't you."
"Huh? Who's saying my name like they think they know me or somethin'?" Johnny growls. Then, he manages to get a better look of Zoro and bolts right up. "B-Big Bro Zoro?" What an adorable nickname. [Y/N] floats back down, and jumps down, heading towards the group.

"Johnny, it is you," A small smile spreads across the swordsman's face.
"What are you doing here, Big Bro?!" Johnny questions.
Zoro dismisses the question completely to ask his own. "Where's Yosaku? Isn't he with you?"
"What's going on?" Luffy questions, completely confused.

"What are you doing here, Johnny?" Zoro asks, looking down the railing. Johnny sits himself straight so he is able to to properly face the swordsman. Johnny starts to explain his partner, Yosaku is sick, and leads them over towards a small boat tethered to the small port side of the Going Merry. Yosaku is in a sorry state, as blood runs down his nose and lips. His eyes are rolled to the back of his head so they are currently milk white with a few red veins. His skin is tinged a sickly green and purple.

[Y/N]'s eyes trail over the corpse-like figure resting in the boat. An sickly feeling of dread drums at her heartstrings, playing at her compassion and good nature. For someone so full of wrath and blood-lust, the only emotion to manifest was worry. Without another word, the Reaper jumps down into the boat and wraps her arms underneath his body before jumping back onto the boat, gently placing him onto the wooden floor.
"Up until a few days ago,, he was healthy and full of life," Johnny starts to explain. "And now...He keeps fainting and getting really pale! I have no idea what's causing it! His teeth have been falling out and his old wound opens up and started bleeding..." He went on about Yosaku's current state.

Deadpan, [Y/N] says. "He isn't dying. Malnourished. That's it," She turns towards Johnny who jumps a little and shakes at the terrifying aura she manifests. "How long ago was your last meal?"
He shakes, but manages to answer. "Well...we've been having nothing but fish for two weeks..."
"Huh? That's dumb," Before he could get up and argue (she could see the vein pounding against his head), she took out a lime from supposedly nowhere. "I have a lime-"
"-NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR ABSURDITY!" Zoro shouts.
"Was that word not too long for you, Zoro?" Nami smiles. Zoro scoffs in her direction, clenching his teeth and biting back an insult. He was more worried for Yosaku than anything else. Now was not the time for the crew's...weirdness.

"Yosaku has scurvy," [Y/N] says, tearing the the lime in two (Usopp gawked at the action in itself. Just how could she do it so easily?). "He has Vitamin C deficiency, but, as long as he has the nutrients from these limes, it will help with his recovery." With one hand, she squeezes one of the massive pieces into his mouth. The light green liquid pours into his mouth, dripping into his open mouth. Soon, Yoksaku chokes and splutters, spitting at the sour taste on his tongue. The colour returns to his face and he has stopped bleeding.

Johnny and Yokaku prance around the deck in a circle, arms linked and cheering. They soon introduced themselves as being a bounty hunting duo, and how Zoro used to be like them.

Luffy places his hands on his hips and said, a beam across his face, "Wow, you're really smart, [Y/N]!" [Y/N] raises her mask a little (darkness still licks underneath, bleeding down- an illusion- onto the ground beneath her feet) to place the other piece into her mouth. She bites it into smaller chunks in her mouth before swallowing them down. The bitterness pricks against her tongue and taste buds unpleasantly. "Thanks. I learned everything from my mother."
"I'm not sure I asked," Usopp began, nervously scratching the back of his neck (as everyone seemed to understand they definitely needed a cook in order to fulfil the amount of nutrients everyone required)- especially after this incident. "Did I ever ask?"

[Y/N] shakes her head and steps beside Usopp, her tone sweet and kind. "No, you didn't. My mother is the Pirate Captain of the Saigai Pirates, and she is widely known as Silver Tongue." Usopp gapes, his mouth wide open. His eyes nearly roll into the back of his skull from the sheer mention of her name. He involuntarily shivers and wraps his arms around himself.
"S-Silver Tongue?"
"Mmhm!" [Y/N] nods, as her body begins to float. "She's the most terrifying woman to sail these seas! I hope I get to see her soon..."

Everyone rushes to the front deck to get a better look of the incredible exterior of the sea restaurant, Baratie. The outside is in the shape of a fish, with a gaping mouth and large, black eyes on either side. A sign, with "Baratie" in light blue letters is strewn across one side of the ship, with a clear entrance with a yellow, curved arch for them to stand on. Most of the wood was light blue, with multiple windows, but the rooves were orange. Sails, which were orange and cream, were fluttering in the slight breeze.

Beside the seafood restaurant was a familiar ship parked on its left side. The sails, which previously showed a skull with the figures "omen" in japanese on the skull (along with black dahlia beneath the skull itself) were hidden. The ship was mostly red, with black dahlia painted along either side of the ship. It was quite large in size, and was moderately bigger than the Baratie. The head of the ship had a dragon on the front, rearing its head to the skies, eyes glaring and ready to blow flames into those who dare pass by.

Oh, it was definitely her mother's ship. She didn't expect to see her this soon.

"I will meet you guys on the Baratie," [Y/N] says, rubbing her foot against her leg. "I want to check something." She jumps down into the sea below, and lands perfectly with one leg resting against the other. Her foot presses against the water; Nami suddenly runs to the side of her ship, and everyone else soon follows. She calls, "What type of idiot just jumps into the sea?!"
"You gave us a heart attack! Wait-HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?!" [Y/N] shrugs at Usopp's question and instead heads towards the Baratie. "HEY! DON'T JUST RUN OFF!"
Zoro crosses his hands against his chest, between amusem*nt and annoyance. "For a Marine, they sure are problematic." They all watch as the Reaper jumps onto the Baratie and opens the door, closing it behind herself.

In the corner of the restaurant is a large table fitting around five people, excluding the [h/c] beauty. Fuji [L/N], or Silver Tongue as she was known, sat with her arms resting against the back of her chair as she leaned back. This woman was quite voluptuous, with a large chest poking out from the white-button up she wore, with a few buttons undone, and how splendidly the shirt fell against her curves. She wore black trousers and a pair of black boots. A necklace in the shape of a heart rested against her chest (which was filled with [Y/N]'s baby pictures and other pictures. Both of her arms were blackened from her fingers to her elbows, with ancient dialect etched into her skin. It glowed faintly; a few other markings, such as her face, had marks in the shape of a skull in a silver outline.

A few scars slashed across her chest and other parts of her body. Her eyes were [e/c], and her long [h/c] hair flowed down to her back. She was 6'5, towering over most of her crewmates. The other crew members were just as interesting as their Captain. Asuka, who was Fuji's first mate, had short black hair up to her ears, with bright, auburn eyes and light brown skin. Half of her face was hidden by a black masquerade mask. She had a smaller frame than Fuji and was dressed in a waistcoat, with a shirt and trousers, along with a pair of smart shoes. She often fought with a rapier, along with ice magic taught in her family. Next is Den, a woman with her green and blue hair in two buns: she has one pale blue eye and one green eye and pale skin. One of her arms is bionic, along with one of her legs.

She has a black choker around her neck, along with a blue crop top and a pair of shirts underneath her (blue and green checked), skirt. She wore slip on shoes and she was bigger than Asuka; she was a bit chunkier, with rolls and curves. Den fought with hand-to-hand combat, only using her poison-infused knife when necessary. Den was known to be the doctor. Next was Isao, a man who was incredibly tall (being at 6'8) and broad. He was a lot bigger than the rest of their crewmates: he was bulky, and a little chubby. He had brown hair, with light blue eyes and had tan skin. He was dressed with a red scarf wrapped around his neck, with a jumper, shorts and sandals. His role was as the navigator of the ship, and he often fought with an axe he was able to summon upon command. Nothing much was known about his magic, for it was ancient and not many spoke the dialect anymore.

Next was Ezume. He was a fishman with luminescent blue skin, with patches of orange and red eyes; his blue fins with patches of orange were across his entire back, over his spine. His flowery shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing his abs underneath. A scar, pale blue now from age, stretched from the top of his chest, to his left side. Two scars were beneath his chest. He was wearing shorts up to his lower thighs, and a pair of sandals. A seashell, with string attached, was wrapped around his neck. He was around 6'2 in height, being shorter than Fuji and a few others. He typically fought with hand-to-hand combat, but he also used water manipulation whenever it called for it. He was the cook of the ship, along with the marine biologist.

Last, but not least, was Kichi. They had short black hair in a buzz cut, with light pink eyes and a pair of earrings in the shape of skulls, with dark brown skin. They wore a denim jacket, with long sleeves, with the Saigai Pirates picture on the back, along with trousers, with slashes against the material and a pair of boots. They wore metal rings in their mouth and nose. Kichi designed the weapons their crewmates used, and added any additions they could to make it better. They were the gun slinger and used different guns they designed themselves. They also had a variety of unusual pets they had befriended to help them with their work.

Yes, the Saigai Pirates were definitely interesting.

All the crew raises their cups to the sky, clinking them against each others. Fuji takes a massive gulp before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and placing the cup to her side. Her eyes trail to Isao, who is discussing the route they must take next. [Y/N] slowly steps towards the table, her footsteps quiet. But, even if she was quiet, Fuji heard: the Pirate Captain moved her head to the side, tilting it a little. Her eyes widened at [Y/N].
Her voice was deep, but soft, "[Y/N]?" Immediately, the taller woman stood up. Her crewmates watched her for a moment in confusion, before their own eyes widened at [Y/N]. They recognised her easily from the mask she wore as it had been a gift from Fuji (which was tradition once their child became 16, as each one in their clan was different. They had been carved by the person who gave the gift.).

Fuji threw her arms around her daughter and pushed her against her chest. Tears started to roll down her cheeks the longer she held [Y/N] in her arms- [Y/N] wrapped her arms around Fuji's waist, her smile widening beneath her mask. "I didn't think I would ever see you again! At least, for a few years..." Fuji placed her hands on [Y/N]'s shoulders and faced her with a smile across her face. "How are you here? Are you with the Marines? Ishehere?"

[Y/N] shakes her head. "I'm actually with some pirates," The other Saigai Pirates remove themselves from their seats to stand on either side of mother and daughter. [Y/N] started to describe each crew mate in detail and her found family smiled in amusem*nt at each explanation. Fuji smiled, her eyes sparkling. Whether she said it or not, Fuji could sense she had joined the pirates but couldn't outright state it due to her position within the Marines. Oh, and if the Government caught wind of it, they would tear her apart without question, along with the Pirate crew she came to love.

"They sound interesting," Kichi said, a smile widening across their face. They placed one hand on their hip, just above their gun holster. "Anyone you're interested in?"
Fuji tilted her head to the side with a smirk, pointing her raised brows at Kichi. The gun slinger in question laughed at her expression. "Of course you're the one to ask that, Ki." Kichi placed their hand on their chest, giving an offended look. "How dare you!"
Isao lightly patted their shoulder, rising one hand to his lips to hide his smile. "It's ok, Ki, we all love you."

"..That's kinda gay-"
"-f*ck sake, Ki. Just take our love, you...potato?" Den questioned herself, more than anything else. They all started to chuckle at their own playful banter. It was nice to have such close friends as these. Asuka crossed her arms against her chest, a smile forming. She stepped over to [Y/N] before patting her on the head; [Y/N] tilted her head to the side as Asuka rubbed her head, her other arm resting against her waist. "You have grown a lot, [Y/N]. I am sure you are a lot stronger since we last met. I hope you are still adept with a sword."

Isao smiles, hugging [Y/N] from behind and squishing her into his chest. [Y/N]'s face squished against his chest. "She could beat you at the age of three I'm pretty sure."
"A bit of an exaggeration," Ezume chuckled, raising his hand to pat [Y/N] on the head as well. It felt comfortable to have her found family all around her, and for her mother to be happy. Fuji stood with her hands on her hips, watching the entire thing. "But, she was incredibly talented at such a young age."

Before they could continue to sing her praises, they heard a Marine shouting, "Waiter! Hey! Get over here!" The voice was quite familiar; [Y/N] removed her head from Isao's chest to get a better look of them. It was Fullbody, a marine with bright pink hair who wore a white suit. He was a pain, to put it lightly. They had worked together on separate occasions. A guy (around her age) headed over towards him with yellow hair, with some covering part of his face. He was wearing a black suit with a black tie and dark blue shirt. They start a conversation, and the Reaper doesn't hear much until the end.

"Hey, what is it? Is 'bug soup' on the menu or did you make it just for me?"

She likely shouldn't get involved, but he was such a pain she felt sorry for the staff of the restaurant. They didn't deserve to deal with his sh*tty behaviour and manners. "I'll be back, I just want to deal with this." Fuji places her hand on her hip. "I know Fullbody, unfortunately." With a shake of Fuji's head, [Y/N] steps towards Fullbody and the yellow-haired man. She stops just before his table, so she is directly beside the yellow-haired man, and behind Fullbody.

A powerful, malevolent aura started to manifest behind the Reaper; darkness seeped from the very cloak itself and poured down between the cracks. Dark magic started to manifest all around the Reaper, a warning, as eyes appeared in the darkness, blinked and swirled unpleasantly. The tone in which [Y/N] spoke was dark and a threat to anyone who listened. "Fullbody." His date meekly leaned back in her chair, her eyes widening in fear.
"Who thinks they can talk tomelike that-" Fullbody turns around and now faces [Y/N]. He steps back in fear, as sweat rolls down his face. The 'waiter' he was going to mock seemed to be smirking.

"Hello, long time no see," [Y/N] muses, taking one step forward as he takes one step back. "Have you beenwell?"He shivers involuntarily. The tone of her voice made him want to tear off his own skin or chop off his ears or pluck out his eyes, just so he would not have to experience this deeply driven fear he had become accustomed to in her presence. The Saigai Pirates were laughing and joking about in the back. "I hope you aren't being disrespectful."
Fullbody shakes his head, about to say something before he stops himself. Believing this is the end of his behaviour, [Y/N] turns around, about to head towards Fuji. Fullbody starts to shake, clenching his teeth.

He suddenly grabs one of the chairs with both of his hands, and as [Y/N] turns around upon hearing the footsteps against the wooden floor, and slams the chair against [Y/N]'s head. The chair breaks into several different pieces, and [Y/N] doesn't move an inch. Fuji snarls in anger from behind, and she is about to step forward and interfere but Asuka places out her hand and shakes her head. A Pirate knows to not interfere between Marines. The Saigai Pirates were not even supposed to be here since it was so dangerous for them, even if Fuji's old friend owned the ship. In his anger, Fullbody brings down his fist on the table so the table splits in half and the plates smash as soon as they fall, spraying fragments of china across the ship.

Sanji kneels down to pick up the broken soup bowl with the liquid poured out across the floor. "You could have eaten it if you had just taken the bug out." He places his hand in the now ruined liquid. "It would have been wonderful. It took three days of hard cooking that soup for you and you wasted it." He growls. [Y/N] flinches beneath her mask as Fullbody stamps on Sanji's hand.
"Can't you see that you're biting off more than you can chew?" Fullbody asks as he twists Sanji's hand with his foot. The young man remains silent, but shadows cover his face. "I'm a customer here, do you understand me?! I'm paying you!"

"Stop it, Fullbody!" His date tries to stop him but he shoves her to the side; [Y/N] catches her by the waist just in time before she falls. With one hand around her waist, and one taking her softly by the hand, [Y/N] guided the young woman towards an empty seat. She starts to shake as she sits down, and her eyes widen slightly, unable to form a sentence. [Y/N] softly spoke, "Are you alright?"
"Yes...thank you." Her cheeks flush bright red from how gentle [Y/N] was being.

"Can your money truly satisfy your hunger?" Sanji asks Fullbody in a threatening tone.
"What do ya mean?" The Marine asked, confused.
"I'm asking...can it satisfy your hunger?" He tilts his head to meet Fullbody's eyes before he removes his hand from underneath Fullbody's foot so he perfectly lands several kicks on the Marine; Fullbody is beaten and bloody. Sanji grips him by the throat, raising him into the air. Everyone else seems to be in complete fear, whilst the Saigai Pirates are in complete awe.

The cooks from the upper floor are on the staircase examining the situation. They don't seem shocked by the situation, only alarmed, as though this may have happened more than once.
"Hm. A fight," A familiar voice begins from the doorway. [Y/N] turns her head to the side to see Zoro, Usopp and Nami, taking in the scene of the fight.

"Don't ever waste food around me again. At sea if you ever provoke your cook, you're signing your death warrant," Sanji growls. "Remember that." He did have a point. Food could became scarce quite easily at sea and to have a cook to prepare meals was quite the luxury and could never be taken for granted. Perhaps he would be a good fit for the Straw Hats.

Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Rear Admiral Masahiro and Another Fight, Huh?

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Baratie Arc

Nami, Zoro, Usopp and [Y/N] sat at one of the empty tables, where they started to eat the delicious meals presented before them. [Y/N] waved to Fuji and the other Saigai Pirates. After the fight had been dealt with, the Straw Hat Pirates had decided to get something to eat, and [Y/N] felt no need to ask where Luffy was. Knowing their Captain, he must have started a fight, and had to deal with the consequences.

Fuji used both hands to stand, and stepped through into the next room, looking for Zeff. As far as [Y/N] remembered, they were close friends who had known each other for years. A sense of familiarity played at her heartstrings the longer she considered her environment: this ship, the Baratie, just seemed too familiar to be a coincidence. Even the sous chef, Sanji, was familiar.

It was odd, in a way. Just how could that be the case? Perhaps on their travels, across the seas, they had met. At least once.

Interesting.

With Fuji...

Fuji headed towards his cabin, with her hands stuffed into her pockets. She raised her foot and easily kicked it open, her mouth widening wide upon seeing him resting on the bed with his metal leg, and how Sanji stood beside him with his arms stuffed in his pockets. The older man tilts his head, his eyes piercing through Fuji's. His eyes narrow, about to throw a bunch of insults before he stops himself. Fuji stares blankly at the broken side of the ship, where she could see through into the sea. Not much privacy.

A cigarette rests in-between Sanji's lips even as he tilts his head a little to the side. "Fuji, what an unexpected visit," Zeff spoke, his voice gruff but even. Despite how serious his expression was, his eyes shone with kindness and compassion. "I hope my staff has treat you with respect since your arrival."
Fuji smiled, stepping into the room and closing the door easily with her foot. Sanji looked between the pair in confusion. "They have been, don't worry about that. I see Sanji has grown a lot in these nine years."

Sanji blinks in surprise towards the woman, before realising soon he knew where she was from. In the kitchen, and above Zeff's bed, were pictures of himself and Fuji, along with Sanji and another child. One picture was of Zeff and the rest of his staff, smiling towards the camera. Another was of Fuji stood beside Zeff with their arms around each other's shoulders, along with an ten-year old Sanji smiling and blushing a little at the child beside him. They had [h/c] locks up to their ears, with bright [e/c] eyes. They wore fingerless gloves, with two swords resting against their sides in scabbards, along with shorts and a simple white shirt.

Zeff looks to Sanji, and without a word, the chef leaves through the door and shuts it behind him. "So then, are you here alone?"
Fuji crosses her arms against her chest. "My crew is here with me. We won't cause any trouble. My daughter is here, as well, with her own pirate crew." Zeff's eyes widen slightly and chuckles to himself. "Taking after you, is she? What about her old man?"
"Technically, she's still a Marine," Fuji said. She placed her hand against her waist. "But, I don't think she wants to be, or ever did. The Government just wants to control her due to an incident years ago."

Zeff looks to her in surprise. Then, he turns his head to face the pictures on the wall. To think, the innocent looking girl in one of those photo would cause something so terrible the Government would try to detain and control her. "What did she do? A cute face like that? It's hard to believe. Then again, if she takes after you and that bastard, it's possible."
"Hey, what the f*ck do you mean, old man?!" She demanded, her eyes narrowing in anger. Her hands clenched into fists at her side and she took a step forward, a vein popping out at the side of her head. Zeff raises his eyebrow. Fuji scoffs and crosses her arms against her chest. "She destroyed an entire island, with hundreds of people living there. She was only twelve."

Zeff's eyes nearly bulge out of his skull. "Twelve?!"
Fuji laughs a little to herself. "Yes. She has become stronger in these recent years. Then again, when you're the child of a demon, and are one yourself, you're bound to be stronger than even creatures of legend. But thatmanforced her past unbelievable boundaries and I blame him for what she did. She lost control of her Wrath due to him."
"I don't fault you for believing that."

Before either of them could say anything else, they heard an explosion go off. Fuji immediately ran downstairs, stopping at the staircase with her hands resting against the banister to see [Y/N] crouched down beside Sanji, whilst Don Krieg stood. He had light blue hair with bandages around his head, purple trousers, black gloves and wore golden chest armour with a black cape around his shoulders. The Saigai Pirates were waiting for Fuji to reappear, awaiting her orders. They knew when they needed their Captain to tell them their orders: they knew when not to cross Fuji.

The demonic woman started to walk downstairs, making her footsteps loud and noticeable. Her curls bounced against her back, and she stuffed her hands into her pockets as Don raised his head slightly to stare at her. Sweat started to roll down his face at the sheer willpower she created, how the very aura she manifested was a product of malice and destruction. She landed on the last step and stopped just before Don Krieg. She spoke, smiling slightly whilst he began to sweat more in fear, "You better not be trying to take over this ship. My friend owns this, you see," She took her hands from her pockets to crack her knuckles. "And I won't allow for this takeover."

Upon sending a glance towards her daughter, she blankly stared back as [Y/N] started to pat Sanji's head. The blond-haired cook felt his face flush slightly at how gentle she was being. It reminded him of when he was younger, how a young child used to pat his head whenever he was upset and thought about his family, and it always made him feel better.

"[Y/N]! What are you doing?!" Fuji demanded as she turned around. [Y/N] lifted her head, her mask comically turned a little too much to the side so it was the wrong way round. [Y/N] patted at her mask before tilting it around completely.
Zoro and Usopp walked downstairs. [Y/N] scratched the side of her mask. "Patting Sanji?" Zoro furrowed his eyebrow, whilst the Saigai Pirates started to laugh a little. Asuka slammed her hand against her face, sighing loudly.

"Just get over here [Y/N]!" [Y/N] scoffs at her mother's tone. Don Krieg looks between the two in confusion; as does everyone else. Zoro and Usopp exchange looks as [Y/N] stands back up, and obeys, heading towards the older woman. Her cloak opens slightly to allow for her to place her hand on the opposite side of herself and unsheathe her swords and placed them in front of herself. Zoro's eyes widen at the reveal of the swords. "They use swords as well...?"
"Old Mufasa and Dubel, eh?" Fuji questioned upon seeing the swords as her daughter stepped beside her.
[Y/N] violently turned her head towards Fuji. "f*cking Mufasa and Dubel?! They're called Muramasa and Durendal!"

Fuji waves off her comment. "Same thing!"
"No it isn't!" Sanji stared at the pair with amusem*nt, as did Zoro. It definitely reminded Sanji of a certain moment from back in time...

Nine Years Ago

Location: Fuji's Ship
Explanation: Just rescued Zeff and Sanji from a deserted island.

Young [Y/N] stared at the newly rescued boy who was sat at the table in the kitchen, quickly stuffing the egg fried rice, fruit salad and juice at the side. Her swords were against either side of herself in her scabbards; Ezume was at the hob, his hand wrapped around it as he threw the pancake into the air and easily caught it. A cigarette rested in-between his lips, spirals of grey smoke swirling in the air and uncomfortably enflamed the young demon's nostrils.

The smell was enough to make her cough. Zeff and Fuji were on the other side of the table, exchanging pleasant words of conversation as Zeff himself ate. Fuji took a silver lighter from her pocket, and picked up a cigarette with her free hand; quickly, she ignited the lighter and ignited the cigarette. She placed it in her mouth, inhaling the smoke and blowing it out of her nostrils.

[Y/N] puffed out her cheeks in slight annoyance. "I thought you were going to stop smoking, Ma?" Fuji tilts her head to the side to smile. They locked eyes as Fuji took another drag, which caused Zeff to laugh. Sanji stopped eating to watch [Y/N], blinking his eyes towards her in awe, and interest. He trailed from the two swords against her sides to locking with her eyes as she crossed her arms against her chest. He immediately looked away, his face dark red. Fuji and Zeff exchanged looks before bursting into fits of laughter. Ezume smiled; he placed the pancake onto a plate and started with the next batch.

"Name's [Y/N]," [Y/N] spoke, extending her arm in Sanji's direction. "Nice to meet you, what's your name?"
Sanji turned back around, his cheeks still a little red. He slowly reached for her hand and firmly gripped it. "S-Sanji."
"Cute name," [Y/N] smirked, kissing his hand softly before dropping it completely. His dark red blush reached from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. He hides his face in his hands, letting out an embarrassednoise.

Ezume stepped up to [Y/N] from behind to place down the pancakes onto the table, and playfully (lightly) hit her with a spoon on the top of her head. [Y/N] huffed in slight annoyance, looking up at the fishman. "No flirting at the dinner table, [N/N]. Is there a reason you came in here?"
"Am I banned from the holy kitchen? Have I done something to anger the Cooking God Ezume?" She stuck out her tongue, and pressed down her eyelid. Ezume shook his head in amusem*nt. "I just wanted to see Zeff again." She turned to bow at said pirate, and traced her fingers over her sheath. "How are you, Zeff?"

Zeff crosses his arms against his chest, a smirk across his face. "As nice to see you as ever, kid. Lost a leg, but other than that, hungry."
[Y/N] looked towards Fuji. "Should I ask Kichi to make some blueprints for a metal leg?"
"Can do, kiddo," Fuji took another drag before snuffing it out with her fingers. "Make sure they aren't overexerting themselves again." [Y/N] nodded, taking one more glance towards Sanji before leaving through the door.

A smirk made its way across Fuji's lips as soon as her daughter left the room. Ezume placed his hands against his hips, furrowing one eyebrow towards his Captain. Despite how he was the cook, and marine biologist of the Saigai Pirates, he had known Fuji for a long time, a lot longer than everyone except for Asuka. So he knew a certain look in Fuji's eyes when she made it: the sparkle in her eyes was both of amusem*nt, and she was planning something. "Captain, what are you planning exactly?"
"Is it that obvious?" Fuji pats Sanji on the head (who's face flushes a little as he eats his food) and finally stands up, catching Zeff's glance as she did so. "Just thinking how cute my little [Y/N] and Sanji would be together."

Sanji spluttered and coughed and he had to hold his mouth with both of his hands. His face was bright red so much to the point the tips of his ears flushed red. Zeff started to laugh.

~

[Y/N] walked downstairs to the lower deck where the training dummies and weights resided. She wrapped her arms around one of the wooden dummies (with a circular, red target on the front) and prepared herself to place it in the middle of the training mat. Many scratches littered across the dummy, pieces of wood sticking up after remnants of her sword had made contact. She grunted as her hands wrapped around the dummy and dragged it, letting out a scoff as the edge got caught on the mat.

Somehow, the atmosphere around the ship seemed a little more jovial than usual. Perhaps it was due to Zeff, Fuji's old friend, and Sanji, the young cook who everyone seemed humoured by. He was definitely talented despite only being ten, and he worked harder than everyone else to even be seen as 'good' in Zeff's eyes. They had both only been here a few weeks (and both would leave soon, to start their own restaurant on the sea) but Sanji had become close with all of them, especially [Y/N]. They didn't want to think about the fact they would be leaving soon.

With one more tug, the mat managed to flop back down underneath the dummy. She placed her hands on her hips as the dummy stood in the middle of the mat, and didn't seem to move or try to fall. [Y/N] slid her hands on either side of her swords, and slowly unsheathed them. Her eyes narrowed focusing on the dummy before herself and she was about to slash the dummy with both before she heard footsteps.

[Y/N] turned her head towards the stairs. Sanji rested his hand against the wall and jumped down the last step, his eyes trailing over the training room. Different sized weights were against the floor and shelves, whilst the training dummies were all stacked in the corner. [Y/N] placed both swords back into their sheath, lightly hitting her fingers against them both. It made a metallic tune the longer she clicked. Her [e/c] eyes narrowed; he finally landed on [Y/N] and stepped back in slight fear. Sweat started to build and roll down his skin.

"Oh, Sanji," [Y/N] said. "Something you need?"
"N-No..." He stuttered. He had never been the best with talking to women, even if it was [Y/N]. "Just wanted to talk..."
"Anything specific?" She stepped closer to him. His face darkened. He shook his head. "Is Zeff giving you a hard time again?" He puffed out his cheeks. She took that as a yes. "That's just tough love, San-San. He cares about you."
"That old geezer? I doubt it!"
"Hey, if he didn't, would he have saved you?" He looks to [Y/N] in surprise whilst she simply smiles. "Yeah, he told me. He may not say it outright, but he does care. And you care about him."

He hated to admit it, but maybe she was right.

"Anything else you want from me? I was ready to train, but..." Sanji's eyes widen and he raises his head to meet her eyes. She smiles and places her hand on her hip. [Y/N] had always been like this. She didn't like anyone watching her train. "We can talk for a bit, I don't mind." She sat cross-legged on the floor, patting the empty space beside her. Maybe it was time to have a few moments to just relax and think. Sanji obeys and sits down beside her. He doesn't make a sound, or dares to speak. There is something off about him. The look in his eyes is tender.

[Y/N] purses her lips together and gently grabs hold of his hand, interlocking their fingers together. She sighs. "There is something wrong, and you aren't telling me. Well, at least you don't have to tell me...but I...can tell." She looks over to him and gives his hand a squeeze. Sanji's eyes start to swell with tears; he sniffles, the tears from his eyes falling down his face.

[Y/N] softly strokes his fingers and nearly falls back in surprise as Sanji wraps his arms around her waist and clings onto her side, crying into the crook of her neck. "My...f-father disowned me...I-I know it was two years ago...but..." She could feel the cold tears fall down against her back and soak her shirt. She didn't seem to mind. Instead, she softly stroked his back. "D-Did I do something wrong?"
"No. You didn't," He had told her this before, in a little more detail. She didn't prompt him to say more, as he would if he wanted. She didn't wish to push him. "Your compassion, your kindness and your emotions make you special, Sanji. They make you human. I adore you for that." She squeezed him even more.

His cries and sniffles started to calm down. He didn't usually cry (or want to- even if it was a natural thing to do), but when he did it tended to be something to do with his family. Who [Y/N] definitely didn't want to cut into multiple pieces. Yep, murder was on her mind. No one deserved to be treated the way he was. And [Y/N] wouldn't stand for it. No one messed with Sanji.

"I'll always be here for you, San-San." Against her neck, a smile stretched across his face.

He could at least tell she meant it. Hopefully they would be friends forever.

~

"DID YOU SERIOUSLY SELL MY SWORD?! TO A MAN IN A BAR?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" [Y/N] fumed, her fists clenching at her sides. Both Fuji and [Y/N] had furious auras surrounding them and not even Fuji's crew wanted to step in. Instead, they stood around them, watching from the side-lines. Sanji and Zeff watched as well, the young boy being confused more than anything whilst Zeff was amused.

"You still have Mufasa and Dubel, what's the big deal?"
"THEY ARE CALLED MURAMASA AND DURENDAL!"
"How is that any different?" [Y/N] was close to losing her temper. Her eyes narrowed even more.

It probably for the best if no one angered her right now. It was probably not one of Fuji's smartest moments to sell one of [Y/N]'s beloved swords. Even Asuka had told her it wasn't the best idea.

"I'm going to set fire to this ship and see how you feel then-"

"No you are not!"

"Yes I am!"

Yeah, being on that ship had been fun.

"One man destroyed your entire fleet?" Sanji shook his head to try to detangle himself away from his thoughts to focus on both Fuji and [Y/N] stood in front of Don Krieg. To think someone possessed such monstrous strength along the Grand Line was unbelievable, yet believable at the same time. The strongest tended to dwell there and travel along it, to prove themselves and try to search for the legendary treasure the King of the Pirates left behind.

The man they spoke of sounded a lot like Mihawk. Asuka had trained alongside him years ago when they were still teenagers and fought beside each other until Asuka decided to join Fuji's crew. Their strength rivalled each other's, even if Mihawk used the massive, black sword he could use to easily slice a ship in two with, Asuka could still fight him fairly with her own legendary sword, Excalibur. It's blade was golden, with a pearl on the middle of the blade; the hilt had a pair of silver wings stretching from it, with one massive pearl resting on top.

The complimentary shield, made by the exact same blacksmith, had been lost long ago. It was known as 'Merlin's Heart'. The shield was mostly silver, with a massive pink-white pearl in the centre. It was rumoured you could see your desires, your dreams, within the pearl coming true. Many believed Merlin's heart had been crushed centuries ago and built into the shield as the heart of a wizard could grant your wish. Their hearts consisted mostly of magic. Well, if it was lost from civilisation, it could be possible the magic may have been lost long ago.

Asuka crossed her arms against her chest and stepped forward. Zoro watched, his eyes tracing over the blade resting against her side. His eyes widened in realisation. He jumped down before he could register it himself (surprising Usopp who screeched in surprise and backed away) and headed towards Asuka. He patted her shoulder causing her to turn around and raise her eyebrow. Zoro asked excitedly, "You're Asuka, or 'Morgana, the Bearer of Excalibur!'" [Y/N] snorted in the background. He hadn't managed to meet the man he travelled the seas to meet quite yet, but, he had at least met Asuka. She was known to be the strongest swordswoman in the world, and went toe-to-toe with Mihawk.

Asuka smiled, eyes sparkling with amusem*nt. "That is I, yes. No one has acknowledged me by that in a long time." Fuji squinted her eyes in confusion, and was about to say something before Asuka rose her leg ([Y/N] held slid her swords back into her sheaths to rise her hand where her mouth was) and slammed it down onto Fuji's foot. Fuji softly rubbed at her foot, bouncing on one leg as tears built up in her eyes. Everyone blankly stared between them, and Zoro sweat dropped. "Do not say what I think you were about to say."
"You didn't have to do that!" Fuji whined.
[Y/N] put her other hand in the air. "Oh! Is it something sexual?" Now was really not the time for [Y/N] to be so blunt.

Asuka angrily grumbled and her eyes narrowed- she rose her leg up slightly and before [Y/N] could register it, Asuka slammed her leg into [Y/N]'s gut, sending her flying into Don Krieg, which sent them quite a distance outside. [Y/N] landed in the sea itself whilst Don Krieg smashed through his own ship. His crewmates jumped in alarm, and scampered to search for their boss. Usopp gaped in alarm at the sudden violence showcased. The cooks couldn't help but take a step back in fear. The floor beneath Asuka started to crack, her eyes narrowed and a deadly aura started to manifest around the swordswoman. Fuji was used to this, as were the other Saigai Pirates, so they didn't even blink.

Zoro asked, "Is [Y/N] ok?" The cigarette resting between Sanji's lips fell from his mouth, catching it in time before it hit against the floor. The name was familiar. He forced himself to stand.
Asuka huffed. "Of course she is. One kick like that doesn't even hurt her. Despite how innocent she seems-" Fuji raises her eyebrow. "-she is unbelievably strong. And it's strange." Zoro and Sanji watched as [Y/N] patted one hand on the deck, before her other hand shot up, so she rose herself, and rolled inside of the restaurant. Somehow, her cloak stayed on, obscuring an sense of a figure. Still, she turned away, sitting cross-legged in the entrance, putting off her mask and waving it so water poured from it.

With a grumble, she placed it back on her face. Despite living on the open ocean since she was a baby, water was still not her favourite thing. Reason? Her father had thrown her in there when she was only five, forcing trying to get her to learn how to swim. So, she had almost drowned. Which prompted her to not learn how to swim until she was thirteen. Sanji and Luffy suddenly joined her at the entrance of the restaurant, staring at Don Krieg's ship. Whilst this was happening, Asuka agreed to dual with Zoro (it would likely not end well) on Don Krieg's ship after Asuka had sliced it in half.

Don Krieg's crewmates fell into the open sea, gaping at the ship now broken into pieces, floating along the blue sea. Some crewmates perched on the broken pieces of the ship whilst others tried to swim in the open waters. Fuji rolled her eyes at the destructive turn Asuka had turned to. Knowing Asuka, having a worthy opponent may cause her to go too far, and be more forceful and serious than usual. Asuka mostly took everything seriously, but when it came to duelling, she wasn't like herself. Asuka stood opposite Zoro; she unsheathed Excalibur from its sheath, throwing it in the air before catching it with one hand. Zoro took a sword from against his side and placed it in his mouth, unsheathing the other swords with both hands.

[Y/N] scratched the side of her mask, her eyes narrowed beneath. A string of curses and irritations were on the tip of her tongue. She was used to that type of thing, but it didn't mean it didn't piss her off. She placed both hands on either side of herself to help to stand, and fell back a few steps, using her hand to rest against the wall and stop herself from falling. Sanji casts her a glance, and asks, "Does that happen usually?"
"What? Me getting kicked into the ocean? Not for years," [Y/N] mused, stepping towards Luffy and Sanji, wedging in-between them both. "Hopefully she doesn't go to far like she usually does."

Luffy crossed his arms against his chest and tilted his head. "Huh? What do you mean [Y/N]?"
"Well, she has killed the people she duelled. Even accidentally," Luffy's smile disappears from his face immediately. The cigarette fell from Sanji's mouth in shock. [Y/N] caught it in time and snuffed it out with her fingers. Both Sanji and Luffy watched as she raised her mask and consumed the cigarette; Sanji blankly stared at her whilst Luffy was a little confused. He didn't realise you could eat those things.

"WHAT THE HELL? WHY DID YOU EAT THAT?!" Sanji shouted.
[Y/N] wasn't affected by his outburst in the slightest. Instead, she rose her hand and booped his nose. His cheeks flushed slightly and he stepped back in slight alarm. He wasn't used to this. "Not sure, honestly. Thought it would taste nice. They don't."
"I could have told you that."
"Why do you smoke then?"
"Not sure," He grabbed his silver lighter from his pocket and another cigarette and ignited the end. Smoke started to swirl in the air from the lightened end. [Y/N] moved a little closer to Luffy, now leaning her weight on him instead. "Stress. And Fuji used to smoke. Maybe that's it."

It wasn't surprising it was not only herself that strived to be as strong as Fuji: she was both a strong woman and one of the most kind pirates of the seas. Not many Captains tended to be women (or at least not many she knew or heard of), the most well-known Pirate Captains were men, and Fuji, and a few others, were the first to break the mould. Then again, she was also one of the only Pirates who had a child. Sailing across the seas was dangerous in itself, but bringing such a child into an environment was questionable.

Still, she had never blamed Fuji for that.

Asuka stood, with her hand gripped around the hilt of her sword, her eyes focused on Zoro. He had had attempted to slash at her with all three blades he held, but she dodged each one. He huffed and puffed, his eyes narrowed towards Asuka. Excalibur was stained with blood- it dripped down the blade and fell onto the wood beneath their feet. Different sized slash makes were made against his chest and sides. Despite the pain, he bit down on his sword, and held the other swords. His grip tightened to the point his knuckles turned white.

"You are more resilient than I thought," Asuka admitted. "You have talent, Zoro, but, you still have a lot to learn." He flinched at her remarks. She was right. He still had a lot to learn if he wanted to become a master swordsman. The best of the best. He couldn't quit. Not now! Maybe he could get the upper hand somehow?
"Maybe so, but I won't give in that easily!"
"You can do it, Big Bro Zoro!" Zoro ran forward towards Asuka; their swords clashed against each other's. Asuka raised her sword and slammed it down against both of his swords, sending him off his footing.`

His eyes narrowed as with one quick movement, she manoeuvred her sword to throw both of his held swords into the air. They twirled in the air, before both landed beside each other. Zoro, as much as it pained him, threw his other sword on the ground in front of him. She extended both of his arms before himself. [Y/N] eyes narrowed: Asuka's eyes widened in confusion. Zoro smiled. "I want to be reminded of this day."
"It is more honourable to strike the front than the back," Asuka spoke. "If you are sure, Zoro." He simply nodded. Reluctantly, she raised her sword.

"Asuka! Don't you dare!" [Y/N] shouted.
Asuka didn't even move her head to face her in order to respond. "You know not to intervene when two swordsman are duelling, [Y/N]. I taught you that." [Y/N] snarled.
"There's a difference between duelling and nearly killing a man!” Before [Y/N] could do anything, Asuka slashed down her sword across Zoro's chest. A large wound gaped across his chest. Blood poured freely down his wound.

But, before [Y/N] could say or do anything, Don Krieg suddenly appeared, jumping onto the remnants of the ship. Yet...he didn't stand for long as someone slammed their fist into his face, shattering his golden armour on impact and the force threw him into the sea in the distance. His crewmates gaped and started to shake in fear, their eyes watching Don Krieg as he fell into the ocean.

Soon, Don Krieg's crewmates swam after him, which left none of his minions around the Baratie. Even Zoro (after Luffy had talked to them a little bit), Johnny, Usopp and Yosaku headed north to go after Nami.

[Y/N] and Asuka shared looks before catching the eyes of the perpetrator. A massive Marine ship was parked beside the broken fragments of the ship. Marines stayed stood on the ship itself, watching the very man- and cheering- who had knocked Don Krieg with one punch. He had dark brown hair cut up to his ears, with light green eyes. He had a moustache which dotted underneath his nose, and a beard which was mostly grey in contrast to dark brown. He had a scar along his left eye, along with numerous across his cheeks and mouth. Other scars dotted the rest of his body; he wore a belt around his waist, with a lion head wrapped around his head. He wore silver chest armour, trousers, and a pair of boots. He wore metal mittens. This was Rear Admiral Masahiro, also known as 'Vulture'. He was [Y/N]'s father and an infamous Marine.

He crossed his arms against his chest. He kept his eyes narrowed as his eyes caught Asuka's. His tone was dark, and deep. There was something dark lacing his voice as he spoke, as though he would not allow for anyone to cross him or disagree."Where is she?"

Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Scars Hidden Beneath a Mask

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Baratie Arc

Blood poured from the wound across her head. Crimson dripped down her cheeks, staining her skin with red. Shakily, she rose her hand and pressed her fingers against the blood, trailing it across her face. Tears rolled from her eyes and down her face, falling onto the clenched fists. She didn't dare raise her head and meet the eyes of the man before her. Instead, she aggressively grabbed hold of her hair and started to tug at it, stopping any gasps from erupting from the back of her throat. Masahiro crossed his arms against his chest, simply watching his daughter with no less than disgust.

"You understand: you fail to go by instruction, so you must deal with the consequences." [Y/N] started to whimper, her eyes focused on the ground instead of Masahiro. Currently, they were on Fuji's ship as this was one of his weekly visits. It was more or less to track her progress and to force her to impossible lengths to strengthen herself, and her abilities. They were in the training part of the ship laid with training dummies, with one of them severed completely in half, wood splattered across the floor.

This was a few days before Zeff and Sanji were expected to leave.

"Speak when spoken to," Masahiro demanded. He took a dangerous step forward, so she crept backwards until her back hit against the wall. She rose both hands and held the sides of her head. A pain started to pound against the side of her head, burning from her forehead to her chest. Perhaps he had slammed the training dummy a little to hard against her head after failing to hold her blade "correctly".

Her fingers were broken in odd places, gaping wounds tearing from her nails to the ends of her fingers. Her fingers were stained with her own blood, pouring down from each tear and falling onto the ground beneath her feet. "I-I'm sorry..."
He took another step forward, about to do something, before Sanji jumped down the steps. Masahiro turned his head towards the stairway, his look of disgust turning into a snarl as soon as the young child jumped down.

He just wanted to spend time with her before his departure.

Sanji turned his head a little to the side, half-expecting to see the young girl training. Instead, all he saw was Masahiro towering over [Y/N] as blood poured from her wounds. His eyes widened. Masahiro glared at the young child; before [Y/N] could register it, Sanji ran forward and kicked Masahiro in the shin. Angry tears ran down his face, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Who said you could hurt [Y/N] like that, old man?!"
[Y/N] rose her head. "Sanji, no!"

Masahiro raised his clenched fist into the air above, about to swing, before [Y/N] forced herself to stand and ran forward, pushing Sanji out of the way. He fell to the ground, his eyes wide. Despite it all, [Y/N] smiled, her eyes shining brightly through his. Even as Masahiro's fist made contact with her head, she was knocked so hard she was thrown into the direction of the wall.

Sanji wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her to rest against his chest as they were thrown back and his back hit the wall, causing the entire room to shudder. Sanji gritted his teeth as his back harshly hit against the wall: his arms wrapped tighter around her waist as he felt the cold blood trail down and land on his arms. He bit his lip, a string of curses on the edge of his tongue.

This wasn't normal.

"[Y-Y/N]-chan...?"
"...Sanji..."

More tears flowed down his eyes, and along his cheeks. He didn't want her to suffer through this. She didn't deserve it.

"Don't get in the way next time." Is all Masahuro said before he left, resting his hand against the wall as he walked upstairs. Sanji cradled [Y/N] more against his chest as he felt her curl into his warmth. He didn't care that he could feel the cold blood soak through his chef uniform, staining the milk white with red. Her breathing was quiet, yet steady against him. He didn't dare ask her whether this happened more than once, but...would she tell him? She had always been the kind smile, the ray of hope in his life. He couldn't consider for a moment something dark was hidden in her eyes.

He closed his eyes.

That the blood soaking his clothes was hers. That he didn't notice sooner. That her scars around her fingers, and arms, or places likely hidden was not from normal circ*mstances, or training regiments. How uncaring, even bothered Masahiro was by her "weak" appearance.

"Sanji?" He opened his eyes.
"Yes, [Y/N]?" He needed to know if she was ok.
"Don't leave me." His cheeks flushed bright red. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as she rested in his lap. "You feel warm, Sanji." His cheeks flushed even darker, reaching the tips of his ears.

"I promise I won't ever leave you, [Y/N]-chan!"

A smile made its way across her lips.

The arrival of the Marines had scared off Don Krieg and his crew, as it appeared. They had disappeared as soon as they could, with a few ships from the Marines (which had just appeared) were going after them. Still, the air was stiff, and tense. So much so you could cut it with a knife. Sweat rolled down Asuka's skin at the arrival of this man; it left a sour taste in her mouth. Whenever he was involved, there was always something bound to happen.

Asuka scoffed, sending a warning glance towards [Y/N]. The swordswoman crossed her arms against her chest and turned towards Masahiro, her gaze steely and trained on his. He glared back into her eyes with the exact same intensity, except, his eyes appeared to divert, instead turning towards [Y/N] who tried to creep away back to the Baratie. [Y/N] slowly jumped on the smaller, wooden parts of the broken ship. She stepped back a little, and sprinted forward, jumping onto the Baratie.

"Hey, you there." [Y/N] jumped at the man's bristling, angry tone. Both Luffy and Sanji noticed. A uncomfortable feeling burned in his chest, pricking at his memories buried deep within. Memories from his childhood. He placed another cigarette between his lips after lighting it, raising his eyebrow, carefully watching [Y/N] as she slowly turned around so herself and Masahiro were facing each other.

Luffy scratched the side of his cheek, a little confused.

[Y/N] allowed her arm to emerge from her cloak to point at herself, using her other hand to scratch the side of her mask. "Oh? Do you mean me?"
Masahiro scoffs, no humour in his voice. "Who else? Have you seen someone with [h/c] hair, and [e/c] eyes? She has a scar from her forehead to the bottom of her lip." [Y/N] waves her hands in a jazz hands motion. It was as though she was trying to place his stare elsewhere. Anywhere but herself.
"No, I haven't. Sorry and all..."

She hadn't seen him for a full year. She had not been wearing her "Reaper" attire when they had last seen each other. So, he was unaware this was in fact [Y/N]. For everyone's sake, and especially her own, this was a good thing. She couldn't bear for this man to know who she was. Anxiety swirled in her chest like an uncontrollable tornado, tearing into the doubt rising in her chest. Numerous thoughts ran through her mind; she needed to be careful and to not spill too much. Each word, sentence, and movement was to be tread upon carefully.

If he became suspicious, it would be the end.

He continued, "She goes by the "Reaper". She has no friends-" Rude. "-and tends to use a double-edged scythe. She hasn't informed Lieutenant Hotaru of her position, but I have a sneaking suspicion she is traveling the East Blue." A malicious smirk spreads across his lips, a silver tooth gleaming in the light. "If the Government were to hear of this? They, and I, wouldn't like it one bit. So, let me ask you again," He snarled, his eyes now narrowed his smirk disappeared from his face. "Have you seen such a woman?" [Y/N] flinched beneath her mask, clenching her teeth. He wouldn't let this go.

Luffy said, "Who are you exactly?" The Rear Admiral now turned towards Luffy. Sanji looked in his direction, his eyebrow raised.
Masahiro scowled. "Rear Admiral Masahiro."
"Never heard of you," Luffy said nonchalantly. Masahiro began to snarl, his eyes narrowed, focusing on the young boy. [Y/N] stifles a laugh by pressing her hand against her mouth to stop from being caught out.

There was no other need to stay here if no one was going to say anything. Still, if Asuka was here his ex-wife was bound to be here as well. If he started a fight here, and now, what would be the use? The Saigai Pirates were wanted, of course, but...he had a feeling everyone would intervene and this would become more of a problem. He had no time to fight when he was looking for that demon daughter of his. If the Government caught word he didn't know where she was...well, they would just become irritating than they usually were. And he didn't care if there were any other pirates currently.He needed to clean up his daughter's"mess".

With one last glance towards [Y/N], he turned around and headed towards his ship. He took one step forward, and began to walk along the water (Luffy gasped in amazement, whilst Sanji's eyes nearly bulged out of his eye sockets), and jumped right onto his boat, barely skimming the surface of the water. Only a few droplets fell from his shoe onto the open water. Sanji took his cigarette from between his lips as he turned his head towards [Y/N].Are they related or something? Sanji thought as he placed it back between his lips.

They all watched as the Marine ship embarked once again- Luffy waved his hand in their direction-and left in the direction Don Krieg and his men went.

[Y/N] stood by the entrance of the ship with her arms crossed her chest, eyes focused on all of the chefs crowding around the table. It didn't take long for Sanji and Luffy to appear as well. Ezume held one plate full of different food stacked high (mostly consisting of fish) and turned his head towards [Y/ N]. The pair understood each other the most from anyone else: both had experienced abuse and rage unlike any other. He could sense the stifling air around her. It must be suffocating and consuming to remember each fragment, each memory. To shudder and jump whenever someone stepped closer, the feeling of their hands marking your skin in bruises and scratches due to your "deviance".

How the blood which stains their hands is yours, dripping in-between their fingers and staining their hands as they hit and hit and hit...until they are too tired to do it anymore. Even the words shouting each insecurity and weakness of yours is brought into the open; a string of curses venomous to hear. How all you can do is curl into a ball, or disassociate to try to cope.

Tearing apart each wall you built, trying to act tough or strong is shattered whenever they are near.

Ezume cautiously stepped towards her as though she was a baby deer, taking each step as carefully as the next as a soft smile spread across his lips. [Y/N] leaned back and hit her head against the wall. Ezume stopped, turned around and leaned his back against the wall. He picked up a fish and rose it to his lips, before his sharp teeth extended and he tore the fish's head clean off.

The fish's eyes popped in his mouth and squelched; Ezume bit it into smaller chunks before swallowing.
[Y/N] said, "That's disgusting," Ezume lightly hit her on the head. She started to rub her head, biting down her annoyance. Ezume bit off another large chunk of fish. He opened his mouth, revealing the chewed up fish and leaned closer to her. She pushed his face away with her hand. "Stoppppp that! I don't want to see your chewed up food!"
He started to laugh and swallowed. "Why ever not?" [Y/N] turned her head towards him and couldn't help but laugh. Her laugh was as harmonic and pleasant as a nightingale, singing her joy.

As her laughter started to die down, Ezume patted her shoulder. "Is there something bothering you? You haven't been talking to anyone since Masahiro left."
[Y/N] scratched the side of her mask. It was something she tended to do when she was anxious about something. "Just..." She started to fall down the wall and fell onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. He followed her example, and leaned against the wall, placing his plate to the side of himself. "If I join Luffy and become a pirate...they will be in terrible danger. The Government would be after our heads."

Ezume mused. "Isn't that what it's like to be a pirate?" [Y/N] scoffed much to his amusem*nt. "The thing is [Y/N], you should ask them what they think. Tell them everything. Leave no details."
"What if they think I'm a monster?"
"Then, they aren't worthy enough to be your friends," He pats her head, a smile across his lips. "Real friends see you for who you truly are." She smiled, about to say something but Ezume suddenly scooped her up and placed her down near to the table. But, before [Y/N] could ask what was wrong, a PanShark crashes into the restaurant with Yosaku's lower body stuck in its jaws.

"Yosaku?" [Y/N] questioned, seemingly ignoring the fact Sanji was lying underneath the large fish. "What happened?"
"Oh...hey Big Bro Luffy...Big Sib [Y/N]..." He rasps.
"How come you're alone? Where're the others?" Luffy questions. "Did you find Nami?"

Yosaku is bundled up in a blanket whilst being fed some soup as he began to explain what went on when he went off with Zoro, Usopp and Johnny. "We never actually caught up to her, but from the direction Big Sis is heading we think we figured out where's she heading and what she plans to do."
Luffy listens with intent to Yosaku's explanation. [Y/N] crosses her arms against her chest, thinking for a moment. "I see. Then, we can get her back."
Yosaku doesn't share the same enthusiasm. "Maybe...It's just...if our suspicions turn out to be true, then the place she intends to go could mean certain death for all of us if we follow her."

Luffy stares at him in confusion.

It would be nice if the Saigai Pirates would be following after them for a bit to help with the (definite) upcoming fight. The Saigai Pirates were going to be staying around the restaurant for a while to help with repairs. "The point is..." Yosaku continues. "We really need your help Big Bro Luffy, Big Sib [Y/N]. Please! Come with me!"
"Okay. I don't really get it, but I got it." Luffy responds. "Let's go." He suddenly turns to the demonic woman. "Will you join my crew, [Y/N]?"
[Y/N] jumped from the sudden attention, ignoring the look from Sanji which read "do i know you?". She turned towards Luffy. "I, uh...I did actually want to talk to you about something."

He hummed.

Soon enough, everyone made their way outside. "Wait." They are then stopped by Sanji, who was taking a smoke. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets as waves of smoke flew from his cigarette. "Your dreams are foolish. Then again, so is mine. Now's as good as time as any. Why not start my quest right now?"
"Sanji?" Luffy asks, pushing him a little.
"I'll be joining your little crew on your journey to be King of the Pirates. You hear me? I wanna be the cook on your ship. Alright? What'd ya say?"

Luffy's face burst into a wide grin."YEAH!! OF COURSE!!"
"This is great, Big Bro Luffy!" Yosaku exclaims. After a little of preparation (such as Luffy nearly stealing all the meat from the fridge and the other cooks preparing the boat for their departure), Sanji soon follows carrying his personal belongings and cooking supplies. He doesn't get two steps outside before Patty and Carne come charging at him from both sides. Sanji isn't bothered in the slightest and kicks down both cooks without breaking a sweat.

"Really, guys? That was just dumb." A chef berates the two. Sanji walks past the chefs until he reaches the ship with [Y/N], Luffy and Yosaku as passengers on the ship. "Let's get going."
"You don't need to say "goodbye?"" Luffy asks.
"No, it's fine," Sanji smiles.
"Sanji." Zeff calls from the third level balcony of the Baratie. "Take care of yourself, okay?" Those caring words are enough to bubble his real feelings up to the surface and he starts to cry.

Sanji is now on his knees, bowing his head in thanks to Zeff. "Chef Zeff! Thanks, you geezer! I'll never forget your kindness. I owe my life to you, old man, thank you!" He sobs. All the other chefs, Zeff included, are now crying as well.
"Damn wusses. Real men should part without a word, let alone tears." Zeff says as he wipes his own tears.

Fuji quickly runs up to the boat, resting her hands along it. [Y/N] steps forward, smiling as her mother took her hands in her own. The older woman smiled, kissing each of her fingers gently. All the chefs, including Zeff who has a smirk across his face, watch, humoured. "Don't be afraid to do want you want, little sprite." [Y/N] eyes widened. It was her childhood nickname. "You aren't a weapon. You have emotions, and so much love in your heart. Do what your heart tells you. It wasn't your fault. Everyone will understand when you tell them."

[Y/N] laughs a little. "Ezume said the same thing."
"Yeah, 'cause he's smart. Just...don't let someone else dictate your life. Those bastards don't know who they're messing with! The [L/N]s aren't demons to be messed with." [Y/N] snorted at that. Yet, even if she was just trying to make her laugh, or smile, she did have a point.

"No need to show off, Fuji! It was more of a manly goodbye than ours!"
Fuji scoffs. "Who cares if you cried? It was a tender moment!" The older woman lets go of her daughter's hands and steps back. Seems like it was time for them to leave. She starts to wave as Luffy calls to set sail. [Y/N] takes a step back, and waves as well.
"I will see you again! I'll come back someday!" Sanji promises to the waving chefs.

That was the start of their journey towards Arlong Park. Who knows what may happen next.

Chapter 10: Chapter 9: The Truth, And Oh...You Look Like That? Nice.

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Arlong Park Arc

[Y/N] rested her back against the side of the ship, with Luffy resting his head in her lap. It was strange to have him being affectionate, how she could feel his warmth. How he seemed to trust her enough to even be like this. She couldn't help but softly twirl his locks around her fingers, and close her eyes as the waves carefully hit against the sides of the ship. Only a few moments before he had been running around the ship in excitement. Who could blame him? They now had a cook and they were on the way to getting Nami back. Everything seemed perfect.

Except, the lingering feeling in her chest, spiralling out of control, was a temptation to run from her problems. It served as a warning she shouldn't stay, that it was dangerous. Her wrath lingered deep within as her fear became a fine advocate. She judged herself for her action years prior, more than anyone else could. She had eradicated an entire island full of people. She held so much power in the click of her fingers- everything she did was fuelled by her sin.

Sometimes, as much as she adored her mother, felt she was a mere shadow of her mother. As though she would only be seen as Fuji's daughter and no one else. It happened often when they travelled the seas when she was younger."You're strong for your age! Becoming like your mother huh?" or "You might even surpass Fuji!", "You aren't good enough to even be seen as a [L/N]," or "Little demon." or "Your mother used to..."

No. Just no. She never wanted to hear it. She didn'tneedto. It hurt. Then again, when you also gained some abilities from your father, she couldn't blame them. He was an unpleasant man.

[Y/N] clenched her free fist at her side. At least the calmness of the clear blue skies, with only a few white, fluffy clouds above, and the slow waves occupied her mind. Sanji was currently cooking dinner after their conversation regarding Fishman. They had been humans, before their kind had learned how to breathe underwater and were ten times as strong as human beings. Some fishman believed they were superior to that of human kind due to their unspoken strength and abilities. Ezume had been the only fishman she had ever met, so her knowledge on them wasn't complete.

[Y/N] stares ahead at the horizon. She unconsciously threads her fingers through Luffy's hair once again, exhaling air from her nostrils as she tried to force herself to relax. His head was pretty much resting against her chest and the rest of his body was strewn across her lap. Yosaku watches them, a little perplexed. He asks, "Are you fine with Big Bro Luffy resting against you like that?"
[Y/N] tilts her head to the side. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Yosaku sweatdrops. She didn't realize how terrifying she was. And, she was a borderline sad*st.

Yosaku's eyes widened. This was the first time he had heard anyone talk of demons in any way. It was not that their race had been forgotten, or dismissed from history completely, but not many had seen a demon for centuries. The demon race had a Kingdom named 'Ibresal'. Most demons tended to live there, and prospered but some chose to adventure across the world. Of course, demon folk were broken off into clans, like the [L/N] Clan (which, by other names was known as 'Shadow Walkers' and 'Reaper') depending on their families and power, or abilities. Strength was an important factor in Ibresal. Many strength contests, or fighting arenas were common ground across the Kingdom itself. If you were weak, you were seen as lesser.

When it came to magic, or abilities, it wasn't judged as much. Magic was common, so there was no judgement.

"I won't tire you with everything. Just know I don't like people being afraid of me," [Y/N] softly spoke. "At least, not always. When they see me as a monster, what can I do but agree? I became what they thought I was. A monster." She raises her head to stare at his bewildered expression. "Even then, everyone part of Luffy's crew treat me with nothing short of kindness. Maybe it's one of the reasons I want to join and leave the Marines. I care about them deeply, even if I have known them for a short amount of time." Sanji couldn't help but smile.

Yosaku blinked his eyes a few times at [Y/N]. She was being more honest than he thought she would be. Not to say she was dishonest, but she kept everything secretive. Luffy started to wake up, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. He stopped upon feeling [Y/N]'s chest under his head. He commented, "Kinda squishy..." Before [Y/N] could say anything, Luffy raised his hand and squeezed one of [Y/N]'s breasts. "Huh...? What is this?" Somehow, he had forgotten he had fallen asleep on [Y/N].

[Y/N]'s face burst bright red, reaching the tips of her ears. She squeaked in surprise as he gripped it a little harsher. Yosaku's face started to burn, almost rivalling [Y/N]'s face. He was unsure what to say except, "B-Big Bro Luffy! I-I don't think you should do that..."
Luffy turned towards Yosaku (still squeezing [Y/N]'s chest) and picked his nose with his other hand, "Huh?"
"I think you should stopsqueezing..."

Luffy tilted his head in confusion. Just as he was about to say something, Sanji comes outside to set the table, and soon enough the table is full of food. Studying his handiwork, he places his hands on his hips and smiles. He turns his head, possibly expecting to see Luffy still be asleep, freezes. It's obvious what Luffy is grabbing is a breast, that of a woman, to be precise. "...Luffy?"
"What is it Sanji?" Luffy is otherwise unaffected.
"...YOU IDIOT-"

After a punch on the head, courtesy of Sanji, they all sat at the table. Except [Y/N], who was too busy laying on the floor, between distress and embarrassment. Luffy was rubbing his head whilst stuffing his mouth full of food, groaning about how Sanji had hit him too hard. Sanji swirled around the glass filled to the brim with wine. He scratched in-between his eyes. He couldn't get over the fact he didn't piece together this wasthat[Y/N], the daughter of Fuji and his close friend from childhood. He should have worked it out! No wonder she had been so familiar!

"You didn't have to hit me that hard, Sanji!" Luffy started to whine as he ate, and soon started to fight with Yosaku about the last piece of meat. [Y/N]'s cloak covered her completely as she curled around into a ball, her head resting against the ground as she faced west. Sanji rose the cup to his lips and took a sip as they started to run around in a circle around the table.
"You do not grope a lady's chest!"

[Y/N], after thinking maybe she should stand up as laying down was starting to affect her stomach, stood up and stepped towards Sanji, sitting down in front of him. [Y/N] said, smugly, "Unless she asks you to." Sanji nearly spat out his wine whilst [Y/N] started to laugh as the colour rose to his cheeks. The cook's dark red blush darkened as he froze to listen to her laughter. It was almost infectious by how sweet it was. "Sorry, Sanji! I couldn't help it!" She lightly hits her hand against the table, laughing more and more until it turned into snorts. A wide smile spread across Sanji's face and his eyes turned into hearts as he rested his arm against the table with an open palm and rested his chin on top of it.

He continued to watch [Y/N] as her laughter soon quietened. Between laughter, [Y/N] managed, "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh like that. Ignore my snorting..." [Y/N] scratched the side of her mask. Unknowing to the both of them, a creature of monstrous proportions, was swimming towards them.
Sanji gushed, "Your laughter is so cute, [Y/N]-chan!~"

[Y/N]s's cheeks flushed. "I swear your flirting has become worse!" Sanji was about to say something, still with the same fond look in his eyes, before something called from the sea. Sanji places his glass to the side of the table, he got up and peered over the waters below.
"There's something down here," Sanji murmurs. [Y/N] tilts her head to the side in confusion before stepping beside him and peering at the sea below. Luffy and Yosaku stopped fighting to listen to what has gotten his attention.

A large, dark shadow starts to grow larger from below as it starts to get closer to the surface. A large animal suddenly bursts from the water and reveals itself to be a gigantic cow-like creature with a large, round snout pierced by a circular nose ring, with slightly curved horns on either side of its head. It had green cow-esque spots along with a seal-shaped body. Its massive size looms over the smaller boats quite easily.

Yosaku shrieks at the sight of the massive marine animal. [Y/N] stares up at the massive creature in awe, whilst Sanji stares at it in disbelief. Luffy, which isn't surprising, is not fazed. "What the hell is that?"
"SEA MONSTER!!" Yosaku shouts in terror. What was there to be afraid of? It was pretty much a massive cow, but as a marine animal.
"It's a cow." Luffy observes.
Sanji exhales smoke from his cigarette. "Not a cow. They don't swim. A hippo?"

"...what about it looks like a hippo?" Without a word, [Y/N] steps towards the edge of the boat and raises her hand towards the animal. She ignores everyone else as the cow leans down. She makes no reaction as it seems to open its mouth to reveal its sharp teeth and bite into her arm. She doesn't flinch, or move. Yosaku shrieks in surprise, and Luffy and Sanji are about to ready an attack before [Y/N] raises her other hand. They stop themselves and exchange looks. They would have to intervene if it went wrong. With her other hand, she slowly removes her mask and places it on the ground.

"Hm, what's your name?" [Y/N] coos. The only good thing to come from her father was the ability to talk to marine life. She had an unusual bloodline, to say the least. It was possible, not that her father had told her much about his side of the family, he came from a line of Fishman. It would explain her abilities relating to the sea. The cow creature widens his eyes and retracts his teeth from around her arm. A tongue emerges from its mouth and licks the bite marks around her arm before nuzzling into the side of her head. The bite marks would likely leave a mark, but she didn't mind. [Y/N] started to giggle; its tongue licked at her face, his eyes sparkling brightly. Another "moooo" erupts from the large creature. "Oh? Your name is Momoo?"

Momoo moos once again.

"That explains why you tried to bite off my arm!"
Yosaku shouted, "DON'T BE SO NONCHALANT ABOUT IT!"
[Y/N] shook her head in amusem*nt. She turns around, with a smile spread across her face, her eyes twinkling brightly. Yosaku and Sanji both stare at her in awe; she was so beautiful. They couldn't help but stare at her chubby face, and the silver scar along her face. Her eyes could easily be lost in. Luffy was more-or-less interested by the scar across her face. "How can I not be? He's a cutie." She turns back towards Momoo. This seemed like the perfect time to say about joining Luffy's crew. "And I've been meaning to say: I would like to join your crew. I mean, I might as well join the crew since I've been traveling with you guys. If you would have me of course, Luf-" Before she could finish her sentence, Luffy wrapped his arms around her body and pressed his face into her side.

"Of course! I asked you!" He was beaming. [Y/N] laughs whilst patting his head. Sanji helps to remove him from her waist (and scold him for doing so), so [Y/N] could walk back up towards Momoo. He leaned down so she rose her hand and stroked the side of his face.

"Could you help us get to Arlong Park a little quicker?" Momoo gleefully nods.

[Y/N] quickly ties the rope around Momoo, and they soon set back off to finally get back Nami.

After a little while, the island begins to appear on the horizon. Despite Momoo's large size, he was growing exhausted from the lack of food, mooing away weakly before he started to veer away from Arlong Park. Momoo doesn't stop, so he smashes head first into the wall. The boat flies into the air; everyone but Luffy struggles to keep themselves from falling from the ship. "Whoa! It's almost like we're flying!" Luffy exclaims.

"ALMOST?!" Yosaku shrieks.
"We are flying, you moron!" Sanji fumes.
"Of course this happens to us," [Y/N] laments as she holds onto the side of the ship. Her cloak waves erratically in the air and she grabs it with her other hand just in time before it blows away. She wasn't covered by the cloak anymore, or the mask she now had placed on her face so her chest was pressed against the side of the ship. The ship started to lose altitude and continues to 'sail' through the forest area of the island.

"Landing successful!" Luffy exclaims. He continues to laugh, with his hands on his hips, as he spots a familiar swordsman with green hair who was in the way of their incoming ship. "Hey, Zoro!"
"Zoro?!" Everyone else shouts. The swordsman cries out as he is now plastered across the front of the ship as the boat plasters through a rice paddy field before coming to a stop after colliding with the cliff face. Sanji's boat is nothing but rubble now. "Awesome! We're here guys!" Luffy brushes off dust from his hat and appears unbothered by the destruction of the ship.

[Y/N] gets up from the rubble, with no damage whatsoever, ignoring Zoro becoming angry with Luffy to lean against a larger chunk of the ship. She wiped off the dust from her arms and clothes, humming to herself. Her mask was in fine condition, surprisingly. The demon woman was wearing a white, button-up shirt with a few of the buttons unbuttoned to reveal her breasts a little, with some trousers and her shirt had short sleeves. Her swords were on either side of herself in their red and gold sheaths. Her cloak was torn up into one large piece, and a few smaller pieces of fabric.

R.I.P cloak. You served [Y/N] well.

"And my cloak is in pieces, great," [Y/N] huffed to herself. She picked up the large piece of fabric and held it before her eyes, sliding one hand onto her waist. "Guess I can't hide myself anymore."
"You are so beautiful, [Y/N]-chan~!" Sanji gushed, swirling around in a circle as his eyes turned to hearts. [Y/N] dropped the cloak onto the floor to turn towards Sanji. She sweat dropped, one of her hands still on her waist. He takes her other hand in his own as he kneels down and presses a kiss to the top of her hand. Her face starts to burn. She didn't expect this reaction of all things. But, Sanji was a massive flirt when it came to women.
"Oh, yeah! And what about Usopp and Johnny?" Luffy asks.

"Usopp!" Zoro suddenly says as though he is remembering something. "Oh no! C'mon, we gotta hurry!" Zoro grunts as he shakes off the wood and begins to sprint past everyone.
[Y/N] turns her head, and Sanji stands up beside her. "What's wrong, Zoro?"
"That dumbarse has been caught by Arlong! We gotta hurry before they kill him!"
"He's already dead."
Everyone turned around to see Johnny slump to the ground in exhaustion and starts to sob. "We're too late." He pants. "Big Bro Usopp is dead. Nami...murdered him!!"

The Straw Hats gape in shock at Johnny's statement.

Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Unexpected Reunion

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Arlong Park Arc

No one dared to speak.

"You can't be serious!" Yosaku is the first to break the silence.
Johnny seats himself down on the ground. "Yeah, it's true. She was a traitor all along. She's been winning Arlong's favor, so she could have the treasure buried in Cocoyashi Village all to herself-" [Y/N] clenched her fist at her side. Her anger was beginning to rise from each insult he sent towards Nami, without her knowing. [Y/N] started to walk towards him. Beneath her mask, her eyes were burning a vibrant blood red. She had a growing need to protect Nami. "That woman is a cold-blooded killer. She won't stop until she gets what she wants. Nami had us fooled the entire time-"

[Y/N] clenched her fist, and pulled it back and slammed it into the tree with her face facing the ground. The tree, once standing tall, shattered upon impact. Numerous pieces were thrown everywhere and landed as sharp chunks in the other trees, piercing the bark deeply. [Y/N] shook off the fragmented wood piercing her fist easily, ignoring the coldness leaking down her knuckles and onto the floor. Johnny started to shake in fear, sweat rolling down his face as he tried to go backwards. She raised her head, her eyes gleaming.

"What are you doing here?" Nami demands with her arms crossed, holding her wooden staff with a cold gaze on them all.
"What are we doing here?" Luffy repeats. "You're our friend, we came to get you!"
"What a pest." Nami scoffs.
"Nami?"
At Luffy's confused look, Nami continues, "Friends, huh? Don't make me laugh." Her blank, yet cold look stuns Luffy into silence. [Y/N] starts to step towards the red-haired woman. Zoro tries to grab hold of her arm but she shakes him off. "You're just pathetic enough to deserve each other."

Johnny jumps forward and points a finger at Nami. "Damn you! You killed him! I watched you do it! And now...Big Bro Usopp is gone!" [Y/N] extended her arm towards the woman. The look in Nami's eyes didn't suit the expression she wore. It was a mask, plain and simple. She was playing her part on a chest board as one of Arlong's pawns. She knew the feeling well, how betraying and enveloping it felt. Her eyes were filled with sadness and anger. There was something she was keeping hidden from the Straw Hats. It was likely regarding her childhood. Someone important in her life.

"Nami...?" [Y/N] asks.

"Don't touch me!" Nami suddenly shrieks. [Y/N]'s eyes widen as Nami throws down the staff against the young demon's face. The attack sent her a few steps backwards. Everyone recoils in surprise, watching as the mask adorning her face shattered into pieces. A small scratch appeared across her eyebrow from the blow. A trickle of blood trailed down and fell on her arm. Nami realised what she had done: her eyes widened, and tears started to build up in her eyes. Her lips part, in an attempt to speak but nothing escaped.

Silence.

And then, laughter.

[Y/N] held her stomach as she started to laugh loudly. Nami stepped back in surprise, clenching her staff to the point her knuckles whitened. [Y/N]'s laugh echoed; she tried to cover her mouth with her hand to stop her laughs from escaping, but, she couldn't stop. The pain bubbled in her chest as she continued and it wouldn't subside. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. Nami's expression changed to one of concern for a split second.

[Y/N] finally stopped to turn her head towards the ground as tears rolled down her face and fell onto the fragments of her mask. "That was quite a hard hit, Nami!" She raised her head, showing the wide smile across her lips and the tears staining her cheeks. Nami's face flushed slightly and her blood ran cold as soon as [Y/N]'s voice became cold, and lacked emotion. "You're suffering aren't you?" Nami took a step back. "You don't want to do this, be this person, but you must. I know it feels as though you may not have a choice-"
"-you don't know anything..."
"Huh?" [Y/N] kneeled down to pick up the pieces of her mask, looking up at Nami. The red-haired woman clenched her fist at her side.

"LEAVE!" Nami shouted before running off from where she came. [Y/N] watched silently after her running figure, continuing to pick up the pieces of her beloved mask. She had gotten it two years ago and had worn it ever since. She wasn't sure how she would fix it, but it was definitely fixable. She stood up, her face darkened by shadow. Arlong would pay for making Nami cry, one way or another. [Y/N] tapped her foot against the ground for a moment, her eyes glowing blood red from her natural [e/c] hue.

"[Y/N]." [Y/N] gets up and stuffs the fragments into her pockets. She turns around to face everyone else, with a small smile across her face. Zoro's face (along with Sanji's) dusted with a dark blush. This was the first time he had seen her without her cloak: she was gorgeous. His eyes trailed over her curves, and rolls along with her thighs he could imagine squeezing. Then, his gaze turned to her chest. Her cleavage was on show, shining slightly from sweat rolling in-between her breasts. Still, the fact she wasn't wearing anything on her feet made him worry slightly. Finally, he crossed his arms against his chest and his eyes trailed over her scar. "Are you alright?"

"Ah, Zoro," [Y/N] spoke.
Johnny and Yosaku stared at 'Big Bro' Zoro as he spoke, "Was that special to you?" Luffy stares down at [Y/N]'s pocket. She clenches her fist around the fragments, ignoring the blood running down her cuts as the fragments tore into her fingers. She smiled despite the burning pain along her fingers. "Yeah. My mother made it for my sixteenth birthday. It's a symbol of our family. I'm sure I can fix it!"
"[Y/N]."
"I'm...gonna go after Nami," [Y/N] tilts her head, a wider smile spreading across her lips. "Our navigator needs to know she isn't alone." Before anyone could say anything else, [Y/N] turned around and headed towards the direction Nami had gone.

All of the men watched after her as she left.

"See? [Y/N] agrees with me," Luffy beamed. "Nami would never kill Usopp!"
Zoro scratched the side of his face. "Yeah, yeah."

Back at the tangerine orchard, Nojiko returns to see Nami trashing their home out of frustration and anger. After taking a little to calm down, she sits at the table and starts to look over her treasure map. Nojiko sighs, placing her hands on her hips. "Jeez, Nami. You sure know how to trash a place." She looks over towards her sister once again. A small smile spreads across her lips. "Hey. What's the matter, Nami?"
"It's nothing. I'm just resting a little that's all." Nami replies.

Nojiko grabs hold of a chair and sits at the table opposite Nami. "You mean to tell me after pouring over a treasure map after wrecking a house is how you relax? What's really bothering you?"
"Something happened to make me mad. It's nothing."
Nojiko sighs at Nami's stubbornness.

"Those guys. Who are they?" Nojiko questions. Nami stares at her in shock, gasping. "You know?"
"Yeah. I met some 'captain' guy. He seemed kind of liar-ish though." The young woman continues. "I heard you actually smiled with them. Is that true? You and I both know getting you to do that has become next to impossible. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen you show a genuine smile in years. " Nami remains silent.

C'mon, Nami. You can tell me anything, remember?"
"I had planned...to forget about them. I thought I could just...erase them from my mind." Nami begins to recall the fun and strange moments she had shared with the Straw Hats. She adored each member with a sense of loyalty and trust, but one person made her heart race. [Y/N]. The young demon had helped her with stealing treasure from other pirates. How [Y/N] would pick her up bridle style and run off, or protect her easily from any attack sent their way. How the demon was gentle and kind, and, had never shown an ounce of anger towards the young thief.

[Y/N] had even shown her how to more effectively use her staff. The longing touches, the electricity throughout her entire body and the heat rising along her cheeks...When the young demon's smile came to mind, it made her heart go aflutter. "Then...the more I tried to erase them, the more I remembered. The truth is, when I was with them the only thing I forgot about was the pain that I bare." Nami rests her chin on her open palm.

Her cheeks flush a little with colour, and Nojiko smiled upon seeing it. She recognised that look in her eyes. Love, and adoration. "There is a certain someone who has made me feel joy, one in which I haven't felt in a long time."
"Oh, who is it?" Nojiko asks.
"[Y/N]. She's well known in the marines for being blood-thirsty, but she shows me nothing but kindness and care. She's strong, and scary but she's also so caring towards us all. I would definitely love to travel with her again..." Nami soon falls asleep against the table recalling her times with the Straw Hats.

"Now, I see. There was finally someone who showed up for her," Nojiko sighs. "Friends. That word...means pain. It breaks her heart."

[Y/N] walks up the path towards the ex-marines house, her hands stuffed in her pockets. Reluctantly, the townsfolk had told the young demon where Nami was. It was obvious- by the fearful flame set ablaze in their hearts-they didn't dislike Nami. They knew of why Nami was doing all of this in the first place and how she had no choice but to do this in fact.

The young demon managed to reach Nami's house and with a small huff, sat down cross-legged beside the front door. She tapped her swords at her sides, listening to the sound of footsteps in the distance. By the sound of it, it was definitely the Marines. [Y/N] tore off the bottom of her shirt to wrap around her hand. Blood stained the white; it took longer for her healing magic to take effect when she was healing herself than other people.

The footsteps stopped. Ah, the Marines were here.

The group of Marines was led by a man who greatly resembled a rat. He has whiskers across his cheeks with rat ears attached to his marine cap. He has brown hair, and he is wearing a typical Marine officer's coat, wearing a greyish-blue button up coat that goes down to his feet, with a black belt and blue shoulder pads. [Y/N] scoffed to herself, taking no notice of the man. Surprisingly, he was lead by Genzo.

"Are you the pirate thief known as Nami?" He asks.
[Y/N] tightens the fabric around her hand, using both hands to tighten it into a bow. "Unfortunately I'm not the hot pirate thief you speak of." [Y/N] slowly stands up, her eyes bright. Nezumi gulps upon seeing her face. He recognised that scar across her face, and the look in her eyes. "But, I am her friend. So, I'm not going to allow you to upset her, get it?" [Y/N] slowly unsheathes one of her swords.

Nezumi gulps as she holds her sword out before her body. The glare, and narrowing of her eyes was enough to create a shudder down their spines. She takes a step forward but she is interrupted when the door bursts open and Nami runs out. Nami takes one glance at [Y/N], bewildered by her sudden appearance but her eyes widened when she saw the Marines.
"Are you...Nami?"
Nami gasps.

"According to our investigation, you've buried a deal of good plundered treasure somewhere in this tangerine grove."

[Y/N] scoffs, sliding her sword back into her sheath. "Why would any of you care about that sort of thing? She stole from pirates, not the Marines. Unless this is about something else?" There was definitely something fishy about this.

"Now, you stole from pirates, so we have no intention of arresting you," A bit odd. "But theft is theft. Therefore, as of this moment, stolen goods become the sole property of the government. Now, hand it all over!"

Nami is left completely frozen.

"Sorry. Uh, perhaps you didn't hear me the first time. The Government hereby confiscates everything you've stolen. It is required that you comply immediately. Do you understand?" He repeats with an annoyed look.
Nami steps beside [Y/N]. The young demon blinks in confusion as Nami's fearful look turns into a sly smirk. A faint blush coloured [Y/N]'s cheeks. "Isn't that something? I can see you're very passionate about your duties." She crosses her arms over her chest. "You won't bring a brutal gang of pirates to justice, but you will shake down a lowly sneak thief. That's so very noble." Nami taughts.

[Y/N] stifles a laugh. But, so does the head Marine officer.

"I'm gonna warn you once; I'm one of the leaders of the Arlong Pirates. If you mess with me, Arlong won't sit by quietly."
The Marine chuckles in a mouse-like way, the smirk on his face suddenly falling. "Silly girl. Who do you think I am? You honestly think you can intimidate me?FIND THE STOLEN GOODS!"He orders his men.

[Y/N] quickly unsheathes both swords and speeds forward, and places both swords on either side of Nezumi's head, trapping his head between the blades. He gulped and his eyes widened from the sudden action. The Marines stopped searching (after Nami had knocked out a few of them), to stare at the young demon. "Ah, you seem to be trapped. Wouldn't it be too bad if I sliced off your head?"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh?" Her eyes flashed blood red. "But I would if it meant I would help Nami in some way." He starts to sweat.

"Colonel, this tangerine orchard seems a little suspicious." Some Marine interrupts, holding a shovel.
Despite the blades inching closer to his throat, the Colonel orders, "Dig it up. The whole thing, if need be." Nami rushes to the Marine about to dig up her mother's orchard, tackling him to the ground."KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF BELLEMERE'S TANGERINE ORCHARD!!"One after the other, every Marine that holds a shovel, near the orchard, is tackled down."I WON'T LET YOU TAKE MY MONEY!! THAT MONEY'S FOR...It's for..." If [Y/N] sliced off his head, it wouldn't help the situation. It would possibly make it worse, even if she didn't want to put down her swords, she hesitantly slid them both back into her sheaths.

"THAT POOR GIRL'S MONEY IS MEANT TO SAVE COCOYASHI VILLAGE!! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE OUR SALVATION AWAY FROM HER? DAMN YOU!"Genzo boldly shouts, catching everyone's attention.
The Marine Colonel's smirk still has yet to fall. "My, my...A mere village representative talking down to a Marine Colonel. How bold."
Nami looks to the sheriff in shock. "Genzo...How'd you know about that?"
A light breeze blows, causing the pinwheel atop the man's hat to spin and rattle. "I've always known, Nami."

Nami's eyes glaze over as she remains frozen.

"Arlong will..." The Colonel trails off. He seems to just shrug off Nojiko's warning, as though he knew something they didn't. His behaviour was suspicious. "I wouldn't be so sure." Nami gasps.
"You still haven't found it? We're looking for 100,000,000 beris here, not a grain of rice!" How did he know the exact amount? [Y/N]'s eyes widened at the realisation. He and Arlong were working together this entire time! [Y/N] turned towards Nami in worry, to see her eyes widen, and how she seemed to be having trouble breathing. "It's him." She breathes out quietly. She clenches her staff tightly in her injured hand."TELL ME! IT WAS ARLONG THAT SENT YOU, WASN'T IT?!!"The rat Colonel's grin widens as he snickers darkly. "Course not. I wouldn't do a pirate's dirty work; That'd be wrong. I'm just a public servant dealing with theft the way any Government worker would."
"YOU CORRUPT MARINE SCUMBAG!!"Genzo snaps.
"THE MARINES HAVE STOOPED TO BEING NOTHING BUT PIRATE CRONIES!!"Nojiko yells.

"Sir! I found it!" A Marine calls out. The Colonel rushes to view the findings, and lifts the lid of the stone chest and grins at the vast fortune inside, stained by old blood that was likely Nami's. "Incredible. I must say I'm impressed you gathered this much treasure."
"The money is all ragged and bloodied." The Marine who found it stated. The Colonel simply waves him off.
"No matter. Money's money."
"Don't touch that." Nami mutters angrily as she stalks towards the rat-faced bastard. "Don't touch that...Don't touch that..." The navigator didn't appear in her right mind. She was terrifying with the evil look in her eyes. "Stop it!DON'T TOUCH THAT!! STOP IT!!"

The Marine takes out a pistol from his pocket and aims it at Nami. Whether anger has overtaken her completely, and she doesn't see the pistol, the woman still rushes towards the Colonel with her staff in her hand. Nojiko and Genzo use all their strength to hold her back. [Y/N] runs forward, towards the Marine...

The sound of a single gunshot resonates throughout the entire orchard.

The metal bullet zooms through the air and hits [Y/N] in the neck. She staggers backwards a little, and presses her hand against the wound. She raises her hand eye level, her eyes narrowing angrily at the blood pouring in between her fingers. An intense fire burned along her neck. It ran from her neck down to the rest of her body. Nami called out, a cry, or a shriek, but [Y/N] didn't hear it.

Blood poured along her neck, and over her shoulder, staining her shirt with red droplets.

[Y/N] raised her head, tilting it in the Colonel's direction. He started to sweat as her blood red eyes (currently) pierced through his. "You tried to shoot at Nami...didn't you?"Out of fear, the Colonel dropped his gun on the floor and took a step back. The young demon didn't hear anyone speak, even if he opened his mouth and tried to cry for his own salvation. [Y/N] clenches her fist at her side, pulling it backwards then slammed it into the side of his face. He was thrown backwards, blood pouring from his nose, but [Y/N] didn't let up: she continued to punch him in different directions, throwing him backwards. His face was bloody and bruised by the time he landed.

[Y/N] raises her hand and inches towards her neck before using two fingers to wrap around the metal bullet and pull it out. More blood gushes out; the smell of iron wafting in the air tickles at her nose. She knew the scent well. A long time ago, demons used to eat human flesh, so their ancestors still had a slight temptation to gauge themselves of it. Then again, she was used to killing.

A stabbing pain ran across her forehead.

"Huh...never knew my blood was so red."

During the fight, Genzo, Nojiko and Nami take the wounded [Y/N] back to the village to try to get a doctor to treat her, even if she was being immensely stubborn. [Y/N] presses her hand against the wound, seemingly unbothered by the blood leaking in-between her fingers. Nami had her hand resting against her side, her eyes blank, and a shadow fell over her eyes. Nojiko and Genzo were guiding her towards the doctor.

Well, there was hope the doctor would actually help. Afterall, [Y/N] was a pirate, and an ex-Marine. This was happening whilst Luffy was resting against the palm tree, possibly hoping he would find Nami at some point.

"Doctor! Doctor!" The desperate cry draws the young pirate captain's attention. He turns his head towards the group of villagers gathered around the wounded [Y/N], with more questions over who she was, rather than how this happened. After Genzo had told them she was a friend, and had protected Nami from harm, they became more worried for the stranger's wellbeing. Luffy can't see who was wounded from where he stood so he started to walk over.

"Genzo! What is it?" Nako asks, running over to the group of people.
"[Y/N] was shot!"
[Y/N] laughs a little to herself, pressing her hand a little more harshly against her neck. Pain still pricked at her neck where the bullet had gone. There was a lot more blood than she would have expected. She wasn't sure whether she was laughing from the pain and the numbness itself, or the fact she was losing blood. "The Marines shot me, if you're wondering. They don't look too great themselves though!"

A cackle erupted from her throat at the thought of their bruised,bloodybodies. The sound of someone sniffling broke her from her fit of laughter; she turned her head to see Nami, with tears pouring down her face. "Nami...?" [Y/N] raised her free hand and caressed the side of Nami's face, rubbing away the tears with her thumb. A blush tickled at the red head's cheeks. "I'm fine, see? It's just a bit of blood."

She didn't make a sound, but turned away from [Y/N]'s hand.

"Arlong has been working with those damn Marines." Genzo states.
"What?!" Nako shouts.

"He's been lying to Nami for the last eight years. He never intended to honour our agreement at all!"
"That bastard!"
"Oh, no! That means..."
"That scoundrel! He lied to our Nami!"

The villagers continued to murmur. Nami begins to shake in anger. Nako looks at the girl in confusion. "Nami?"
Luffy pokes into the crowd and waves his hand. "Hey, Nami! What's up? Need help with anything?" Nami's cold, angry glare is aimed at the rubber boy. "Why are you still here?!" She snaps, grabbing him by his rest vest. [Y/N] was getting her neck bandaged whilst this was happening."STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS! JUST GET AWAY FROM OUR ISLAND!!"She throws Luffy off to the side before heading straight for Arlong Park.

Luffy dusts himself off and takes another seat beneath the palm tree. After her neck was bandaged (with red staining the white), [Y/N] slowly stepped towards Luffy and leaned against the palm tree. "What's her problem?" He grumbles, pouting.
"She's been going through a lot, Luffy," She spoke, sliding her hand onto her waist, and looking into the distance where Nami had ran. His eyes focused on the bandaged wound on her neck.
"Your neck...?"
"I dealt with it."

During their short conversation, the villagers of Cocoyashi Village came to a final decision regarding taking up a fight to Arlong instead of standing around to watch this happen to Nami again. "We've had enough!" Genzo declares. "Take up arms; it's time to fight!" The villagers yelled in agreement. "Eight long years ago, we promised we wouldn't live our lives in vain. No matter the pain or humiliation we endured under Arlong, we swore to fight the long fight so Nami could meet the demand! But they lied! They never intended to keep their end of the deal. Instead they stole our only chance at freedom. So now, we should make those filthy Fishmen pay for the years they manipulated that young, sweet girl, am I right?!"

"Yeah! Let's do this!"
"We're always ready to fight those monsters! Let's get 'em!"
"Time to show those lousy, stinkin' Fishmen what we're made of!"

"EVERYBODY, WAIT!"The shout of Nami gains everyone's attention.
"Nami." Nojiko breathes.

The orange-haired navigator smiles at the crowd and chuckles, trying to make it believable. [Y/N] could see the vulnerable look in her eyes. She was trying to put on a brave face for everyone, not just herself. "Calm down. It's not that much money. I can make it back in no time. I'll take care of it; don't worry. It'll be easy this time. I'm used to it. I'll be fine. Just relax. Everything is ok. Hey, it's nothing compared to then."

She was starting to lose hope with each word. It was clear in her eyes of her sadness and sorrow.

"C'mon, everyone. I'm perfectly fine."

None of the villagers utter a word.

Genzo brings her into a hug, his arms wrapped around her as though she was still only a child. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "You've done enough. You have to know that there is no point now. You struggled so hard, carrying our lives on your back this whole time. I can only imagine that joining them must have been more painful than being stabbed through the heart. You fought very well."
Nami tears up. "Genzo..."
Genzo releases Nami from the hug. "Set yourself free from this village."

"Genzo..." Nami gasps.
"Nami, do it."
"What? Noijiko!" Nami stares at her sister in shock. Some of the villagers encourage Nami to leave them. "You're an exceptional young woman..." Nojiko continues. "...and you have a dream."

"Everyone, listen!" Nami throws her arms out to her sides to block their path. "I won't let you go!" Seeing as this won't work, she brings out a dagger. "I'm not gonna let anyone else get hurt by these monsters!" She starts breathing heavily. "You'll all die."
"We know that." Genzo says. He then grabs the dagger by the blade, but it is still not enough to draw blood.
"Nami, it's no use. We've made up our minds." Nako says.
Nami bites her lip as tears begin to flow.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!!"Genzo bellows, causing Nami to rear back in shock. The mayor/sheriff removes his sword from his scabbard and raises it into the air."MOVE OUT!"
"WE MAY NOT WIN, BUT WE WILL...GIVE 'EM HELL!!"Nako finishes. The villagers roar in agreement as they raise their weapons above their heads. They run past a frozen Nami as though she is no obstacle. When the villagers are out of sight, she collapses to the ground, trembling. The dagger falls from her hand. Her expression morphed into one of anger; her eyes focused on the tattoo, one which stained her past unfondly. She starts to claw at it with her nails, then she grabs the dagger she dropped and starts to stab her shoulder. Blood gushes down from each strike, spraying in the air after each strike.

"ARLONG!"She shrieks in anger."ARLONG! ARLONG!! ARLONG!!! ARLONG!!!" She is stopped when someone firmly grips her wrist. She looks over her shoulder and sees Luffy with [Y/N] next to him. "Luffy...[Y/N]..." She sobs. [Y/N] takes the blade from Nami's hand and throws it away, silently watching as the bloodied blade falls. Nami slumps in exhaustion and defeat.

"What do you want? You don't know anything about this. You don't know what's been happening on this island for the past eight years." Nami starts to claw at the dirt road. A sad smile spreads across [Y/N]'s face as she watches this broken woman. "This has nothing to do with you. I told you to leave this place!"
"Yep, you sure did," Luffy replies.
"So, leave!" She exclaims, throwing the gathered dirt at them. [Y/N] stuffs her hands in her pockets and bends down a little. "I told you to leave! Get out of here! Get out of here now!! Go! Go away!! Go, go, go..." Her shouts in a weak attempt to make them leave.

It breaks her heart even seeing the young thief like this.

"Luffy...[Y/N]...help me..." She shudders. Luffy is silent for a moment, before he takes off his straw hat and plants it on top of the navigator's head. [Y/N] scratched her cheek, trying to think of something she could give to Nami. Oh, wait. [Y/N] took a necklace- in the shape of a skull- from in-between her breasts and wrapped it around Nami's neck. Nami presses her fingers against the necklace, twisting it between her fingers. With large, teary eyes, she stares up at [Y/N], who's hand glows and presses it against Nami's shoulder. In no time, the gash marks become nothing more than slight discoloration across her skin. [Y/N] doesn't care for the blood staining her hand. Not right now, at least.

"Good to hear, Nami. We will take care of him and free you."
"That's right," Luffy breathes in deeply."HE'S GONNA PAY!!!"He shouts to the skies with his arms outstretched.

Soon, Luffy joins Zoro and Sanji on their march to Arlong Park.
"Let's go." Luffy says.
"Right." The boys respond. No more words were spoken as they started to walk towards Arlong Park. [Y/N] stayed behind for a moment, pursing her lips together. There was something she wanted to say before she joined everyone else. [Y/N] sat down cross-legged beside Nami, and took her hand in her own, threading their fingers together. Nami turned her head towards the demon. [Y/N] inched her head closer and pressed a kiss to Nami's lips. Nami's eyes widened in shock for a split second before kissing her back. It was gentle but short. [Y/N] broke the kiss, smiling as her cheeks flushed dark red.

"I will always fight for you, Nami." [Y/N] placed one more kiss against Nami's palm before standing up. "We will win. I promise. And I never break my promises." Nami watched as [Y/N] walked away towards Arlong Park, pressing her hand against her chest as her heart beat erratically against her ribcage. A vibrant, red blush coated her cheeks.

Despite everything, the words'I will always fight for you, Nami'brought a smile to her face.

It brought her hope knowing people were here for her.

Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Slice 'N' Dice. Oh, and Kick.

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Arlong Park Arc

The mob of villagers were halted at the gates of Arlong Park by Johnny and Yosaku, upon realising their misjudgement of the situation involving Nami. Of course, they had attempted to beat Arlong themselves but had lost by "a hair." Which made sense why their swords made an 'x' formation in front of the door. "I'm sorry," Johnny apologises. "But I can't let you through this door. You have no chance of victory."
"What's that?" Genzo questions.
"Be patient," Yosaku cuts in. "It won't be long now. You see, we're awaiting the arrival if a certain group."

"A certain group?" Genzo questions.
"Don't worry. They'll be here soon, I'll bet my life on it." The

bounty hunter duo then spots the group over the horizon. "There!" They chorus. The villagers turn around to look at the group in question. The Straw Hats are walking in a straight line towards Arlong Park. [Y/N] nearly trips over her own feet before Zoro manages to catch her by the shoulders and steady her. Despite that, everyone has a serious look on their faces.
"It's them..." Nojiko mutters in recognition.

"But why would they come to defend the village?"
"If none of them can handle Arlong and his gang, then there really is no hope." Yosaku calls as he watches the Straw Hats get closer. "Not only for this island, but for the whole East Blue."
"Those are the faces of those who are here to change your destiny." Johnny adds. "Burn their images into your memory."
"Step aside," Luffy says seriously as he and the rest of the group reach the closed gates of Arlong Park. Arlong's laughter can be heard over the surrounding high walls of Arlong Park. [Y/N] narrowed her eyes.

On the other side of the wall...

"Hey, do you think those two idiots who showed up earlier are members of Zoro's little crew?" Arlong laughs.
"Zoro?" Kuroobi scoffs. "They seem too weak for that. They weren't even worth killing."
"That's for sure!" Arlong continues his bout of laughter.

Suddenly, the thick stone gates of Arlong Park begin to crack, leading inwards, with pieces falling until it was nothing more than a pile of rubble. A thick billow of dust covers the entrance for only seconds before Luffy and [Y/N] could be seen. Arlong's eyes widen in shock. "What the...?!"
"Now, which one of you is Arlong?" Luffy questions with a raised fist. Arlong sat upon his thrown, his hands resting on either side of himself. He didn't move from his chair. [Y/N] squints her eyes at the Fishman. "Arlong? Well that just happens to be my name."

"Good. Then call me 'Luffy'."
"Luffy?" The sawshark Fishman turns to face them. "What are you supposed to be?"
"I'm a pirate." Luffy voices with a sense of seriousness. Which is surprising coming from the Pirate Captain who was often childish. [Y/N] looked over to him with pride bubbling in her chest. He cared about his crewmates and saw them as family: to make Nami cry was the worst thing they could have done. It sent all of her crewmates into a fit of rage. They would all get their revenge. Hachi then voices his own recognition from when he, Kuroobi and Chu on the path next to the rice paddy fields. "Uh?? Hey! That guy-Wait a sec! I remember him! He's the guy who likes going on walks!"

That's what surprised him?

[Y/N] smirked as they both continued stepping towards Arlong.

"What does a pirate want with me?" Arlong asked. Yet, he didn't get an answer as Luffy extended his arm back, holding it with his other hand, and threw it in an uppercut getting Arlong in the jaw. He was thrown backwards skidding across the ground before landing in the wall. It crumbled around him, throwing fragments into the air as well as smoke.
"Damn, you've got quite the uppercut, Luff," [Y/N] chortled. Everyone else gaped at him in awe and fear. Arlong rested his body against the crumbled wall, his head facing the ground. He raised his head.
"Thanks, [Y/N]!" He beamed then turned to Arlong.

"Who the hell are you?"
Luffy blew air from his nostrils and his expression turned serious. "Don't make our navigator cry!"
Some Fishmen sprung from the water, one with a sword held in their right hand. "How dare you insult Arlong-San?!" With a couple of kicks from Sanji, the Fishmen were thrown backwards from the attack. "Butt out, small fries!" He stepped beside Luffy with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his signature cigarette resting in-between his lips. "Yeesh. You just had to run ahead without everyone else..."

"I was too embarrassed after I kissed Nami," [Y/N] stated, bluntly. Usopp recovered from his awkwardness to share with Zoro the same temperament: surprise, confusion and...disbelief. "So I may have not been focused." The young demon said, rotating her hand in the air. Suddenly, a sense of fear trailed down her back as she tilted her head to the side to see Nojiko's smirking face. "...Did...I say something wrong?"

Nojiko was making it worse by snickering. It took the young demon to register what she said but when she did, [Y/N]'s cheeks flushed dark red, and she turned around. "Before you ask, I'm into everyone." She hid her face in her hands, exhaling air. Zoro snorted at her confession. Neither men were bothered by her confession whatsoever, they were just surprised (and jealous) she kissed Nami first.

Then, Hachi said something and interrupted the jovial mood, "That's him! He's the unknown swordsman!" He pointed at Zoro.
Kuroobi had his arms crossed against his chest. "It's Roronoa Zoro."
Hachi angrily stared at the swordsman. "Yeah? Yeah, I thought so! He tricked me!" He wrapped his hand around his long mouth. "Look, sine, and hinker...No! Hook, line, and sinker...right?"
A random Fishman said, "Look, it's Long-Nose!"

Hachi paled, and a single bead of sweat rolled down his face. "D-Didn't Nami kill him?!"
[Y/N] mused, "Sop, did you bring yourself back to life? Didn't know you had the power to do that." Usopp and Zoro were about to say something before they spotted the bloody bandages around her neck. Zoro growled then unsheathed his sword, his grip on it so harsh his knuckles whitened.
"W-What happened to your neck?" Usopp managed.

"Oh? Some Marine," [Y/N] waved off. "Shot my neck. He was working with Arlong, so he was even more of a corrupt bastard." [Y/N] seethed. The five now stood close to each other, with Luffy cracking his knuckles.
"Hey, who are those guys?"
"Hold it!" Johnny and Yosaku slid their swords in an 'x' shape where the wall had shattered to stop anyone from getting through
"He sent Arlong flying!"
"Unbelievable!"
"No ordinary human could do that!"

"Do you still want to break in now?" Yosaku asked, his eyes narrowed. His expression was serious.
"If you go, you'll wind up putting a damper on this fight." Johnny finished. "You'll only get in the way!"
Genzo asked, "B-But...why are they fighting?" His pinwheel started to move anti-clockwise. "What reason do they have to fight?!"
"Reason?! Big Sis Nami was crying!"
"Do they need any more reason than that to put their lives on the line?"

Arlong starts to smirk, his sharp teeth sparkling as he talked. "A pirate, huh? I see...So that's what you guys' deal is. You were after Nami from the very start. But..." The leader of Arlong Park started to laugh. "What can you five inferior creatures possibly do?!"
"Snap your neck-" [Y/N] started before Zoro placed his hand over her mouth to stop her from finishing her sentence. [Y/N/ stared up at him in confusion, simply resting her head against his chest as he made no effort to remove his hand.
But, Sanji wasn't having it. "Hey! Don't hold [Y/N]-chan like that! Treat her like a lady."
"I am." Definitely, Zoro.

[Y/N] snorted. "Yeah, this is romantic." Zoro's face dusted red. Their merriment was cut short by Hachi stepping towards them and stopped in front of the group. "Fool! You're not worth Arlong's time! He'll be more than enough!" He made some noise with his mouth and the gates to the open water suddenly opened. Everyone turned towards it (Zoro had removed his hand from around [Y/N]'s mouth by now but she was just resting her head against his chest), in fear as the earth started to shake, sending the waves splashing against the walls.
Usopp held his head in his hands. "What the...What the...What's going on?!" As rubble started to fall from the wall, a creature began to emerge from the water.
"The whole lot of you will be food for him! Come out, Momoo!"

The large space of water started to rotate anti-clockwise in a circular motion, before the creature, with water still trailing down its body, ascended. Usopp sweated. "A m-monster! It's the Grand Line monster that destroyed the town of Gosa!" Finally, Momoo was revealed. His eyes were wide and tears were rolling down his cheeks. It was likely due to the fact he had not been fed for a while.
Everyone started to cry in fear over the large creature.

But...someone broke the string of fear through a simple comment.

"Oh, Momoo!~" [Y/N] cooed. From the soothing, kind voice, Momoo widened his eyes and tilted his head forward. He let out a cry of happiness upon seeing [Y/N]. He leaned forward and nuzzled himself into [Y/N]'s side as she started to giggle. "Aw, you are such a cutie!~" Everyone went silent. A mixture of fear and surprise radiated between them, whilst Sanji and Luffy were nonchalant. But also jealous. "How are you doing?"
He mooed.
"Oh, you still haven't been fed, have you? I'm sure we can find you something!"
Hachi called, watching the entire thing in confusion, "Wait! Momoo! What are you doing?!" Momoo ignored him to instead rub his head against [Y/N]'s soft strokes.

But, the massive sea cow froze immediately when Arlong spoke. "Momoo. What are you doing?" Momoo's eyes widened. [Y/N] rose her head and saw the look of fear in his eyes. He was petrified by Arlong's unsettling tone. "I won't stop you," His smirk widens and a shadow appears underneath his eyes. "Understand, Momoo?" Was that a threat underlining his voice? It was likely.
Tears rolled down his face, but they soon disappeared as his eyes narrowed and he showed off his sharp teeth.

The Fishmen called, "Alright! Follow after Momoo!"
[Y/N] makes no reaction, whatsoever, (Usopp pales and Zoro stares), as Momoo chomps her arm once again and turns her head towards Luffy, "Hey, Luff! Deal with the fishmen. I'll deal with Momoo!"
"Right!" He nodded. Luffy raised his feet into the air before smashing them into the ground, trapping his feet in the stone. He would definitely regret that later. He twists his body around and everyone goes for cover He grabs hold of one of the Fishmen and starts to erratically throw him around in a circle and soon all of them are thrown everywhere.
"He has a Devil Fruit Power?!"

With a smile on her face, [Y/N] raises two of her fingers, kisses them, and presses them against Momoo's forehead. "Rebmuls!"Momoo's eyes go back to normal, and they start to close. His grip around [Y/N]'s arm loosens and she manages to free her arm from the beast's jaws as he closes his eyes completely and rests his head against the stone ground. His snores were loud. [Y/N] placed her hands on her hips, bending down to place a kiss against his forehead.

"Huh?" Luffy is too preoccupied with being stuck to listen to Usopp's statement.
"How dare you hurt our brothers?!" Kuroobi demands. "It would seem we need to fight, too."
"Looks like we need to teach them the differences between our species."

"The main forces finally show up, huh?" Zoro says, a smirk across his face. Looks like the infamous swordsman is ready for battle. Arlong simply rests against the wall and Sanji starts to smoke his next cigarette.
"Arlong-san. Please stay there quietly."
"If you go on a mad rampage, you'll tear all of Arlong Park into pieces."
Hachi raises his mouth and two of his arms to the skies. "We'll take care of these guys!"

"Yeah. Do as you wish."
[Y/N] narrowed her eyes into his and they shared a look full of hatred. They could feel the wrath, the anger radiating off of each other. How if they lost it for even a second, the entire place would be destroyed. That's what wrath did. It destroyed and destroyed no matter what. Until it's ravenous ways were fed. He didn't know who she was but she knew him. Ezume had been in his gang a long time ago...oh, she had heard many stories. To act the part of the on-seer, as the one who didn't know a thing was difficult.

"Hey. Hey, there. There's something I..." Hachi raised his snout to the skies.
Zoro commented, staring at Hachi. "That octopus is up to something."
Sanji smiles, his cigarette resting in-between his teeth, "Octopus is best with a little salt and sliced up. Add some olive oil and paprika and it's a perfect snack while drinking." [Y/N] shakes her head, stopping herself from glaring at Arlong to look to Luffy. He pokes her shoulder.
"You alright, Luff?"

"Take this! Zero vision!" Luffy was about to respond before Hachi interrupted him. "Hachi Ink Jet!" The octopus Fishmen threw ink towards them. [Y/N] blinked her eyes at the black liquid, about to accept her fate, but Zoro threw her over his shoulder and dodged out of the way. He landed on the floor with [Y/N] sprawled awkwardly across his chest, her chest pressed against his. She smushed her face against his chest as he spoke, "Why didn't either of you dodge?!" His face was covered with a bright red blush. Luffy was covered in ink and he pressed his hands against his eyes.

"I can't see!"

[Y/N]'s hands were on either side of Zoro's body, her legs in-between his. She raised her head from his chest still pressing her body against him but she turned around to look at Luffy (she didn't notice Zoro's face darkening.)
"[Y/N], get off me!"
"Now to finish you off!" Hachi said as he picked up a massive piece of rubble. Luffy tried to get his feet out of the stone but it wouldn't budge. "I can't seem to move!"
"Huh?" Sanji scowled.
"M-My feet are stuck!"

"But he's 100 times better than a damn gang that'd hurt a lady," Sanji said. [Y/N] stuffed one of her hands into her pockets and took a step forward to stand beside Sanji. She blinked at Kuroobi, who stared back at them. "Lady?" He questioned. He definitely didn't think Nami was a lady by the way he spoke. He crossed his arms against his chest. What he was about to say was not going to be pleasant. "To think you'd bust in here for just one lousy girl. You really know how to make us laugh!"
`
"Lousy girl?" He holds his cigarette between his fingers as he glares at Kuroobi. "Just try and insult Nami-san one more time." He picks up his cigarette and points it at the Fishmen. "I'll use a buttered frying pan to turn you into meuniere, Fish Man!" Smoke swirls from his cigarette.
"You seem somewhat skilled for a human. Any sort of chivalry from a pirate is obviously half-hearted."

"You're not saying that to the right person," [Y/N] said as she crossed her arms against her chest. "Sanji would be one of the most chivalrous men I know. And, don't insult Nami, or I will kill you myself." Sanji's face flushes darkly and he blinks his eyes at [Y/N]. "[Y/N]-chan..."
He then turned his attention to Kuroobi, taking his cigarette to his lips. "You can see whether my chivalry is half-hearted or not. I was raised by an unbeatable pirate for half of my life." He blows smoke from his mouth.

Kuroobi cracks his knuckles. "It appears you don't know the true level of the fishman species." Kuroobi throws his palm before himself. Whilst this is going on, Usopp wraps his arms around Luffy's shoulders and tries to pull him from the stone. Luffy's body is pulled with him, but his feet are still in the ground. He pulls even further and starts to strain. "What're they playing around in Arlong Park for?" Hachi asked as he picked up the half of the shattered rubble. Usopp tried to run away with Luffy stuck under his arm. Usopp runs even more at the sight of Hachi holding the large piece rubble with both hands.

Arlong stands up and starts walking towards Luffy. "You're all pathetic. Move. I'm sick of watching this."
"Arlong-san! We asked you not to go on a rampage!"
"I won't. I just thought up a fun game." Before he could take a step closer to Luffy, [Y/N] stepped in his path. He frowned, his attention turning to [Y/N]. "Get out of my way, girlie."
[Y/N] tilted her head to the side. "No."
Hachi and Kuroobi were about to interfere, before Sanji and Zoro stood in front of them both.

"No?" Arlong repeated with a snarl. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yeah," [Y/N] said, a shadow casting underneath her eyes. She carefully removed her swords from both of her sides and placed them against the pillar, her narrowed her eyes focused on Arlong. "You're the one who made Nami cry, and cause Ezume to..." Her fist clenched at her side. Now, she didn't have to act. The anger had bubbled its way to the surface after so long of 'forgetting' what Ezume had told her. Arlong's eyes widened and his smirk grew at the mention of the name. "Luff, I'll keep some of him for you, alright?"
Luffy nodded, noticing her serious tone.

"So you know Ezume?" Arlong cackled. [Y/N] didn't respond and placed her hands on her hips. "Is he still as delusional as ever?! His cooking was absolute sh*t! He was a liar and a fraud."
"Delusional?" [Y/N] spat. "A fraud?" Her temper was rising the longer she stayed here. It bubbled to the surface, spitting and venomous. Wrath was always present. No matter what inconvenience or action may be sent in your direction, anger was soon to follow. Anyone could say anything, be not aware it may set you off. They likely weren't even trying to but...anger had a way about it. Vulnerability hidden by trails of curses and poison spitting from your tongue. It's an excuse. To hide the darkness in your heart, the blood staining your hands.

Well...it wasn't a surprise you found violence fun. Even a little bit. Yes, you,reader...

Hello.

"Did I upset you?" Arlong taunts, leaning down a little to meet her eyes. [Y/N] had the same stony expression across her face. Sanji turned his head, his hands still stuffed in his pockets and was about to say something.
"Sanji-kun, don't worry about me," [Y/N] softly spoke, knocking her hand against his. She beamed up at him, watching as his cheeks reddened. He blinked at her, before a smile spread across his face. "I don't go down easily." She turned back towards Arlong. "I refuse to back down."

[Y/N] clenched her fist at her side, before throwing it back and slamming it into the side of his face. He was thrown backwards and slammed into the wall again, shattering it upon impact and sending smoke and fragments into the air. [Y/N] cracked her neck to the side as the townspeople looked on in awe and surprise. Luffy watched, cackling to himself humorously. Sanji and Zoro had already began their own fight; Arlong emerged from the rubble, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Sorry,did I upset you?"[Y/N] laughed to herself, feeling the dark magic in her veins. Shadow magic had a way about it, as did telekinesis. But, that wouldn't quite be fair, now would it? Instead, she would prefer to beat him through hand-to-hand combat. Or, something close to that at least. Arlong sped forward in the blink of an eye, his eyes narrowed and terrifying, throwing his fists towards [Y/N]. She dodged, making sure they were away from Luffy. He threw his fist towards [Y/N]- she threw up her arm to stop it just in time. With a smirk, he didn't take much time in throwing his other, curled fist towards the demon's face.

She threw up her other arm, stopping him from delivering the blow. But, he seemed to be having other ideas. He raised his leg and slammed his foot into her face before she could react- she was thrown backwards (missing Sanji and Zoro by a hair) through the wall, to the other side. She sprawled across the floor with blood dripping down her nose and the villagers stared at her in shock. Shakily, she rose her hand to her face and wiped at the blood dripping down her nose. She frowned at the blood scattered across her wrist, staining her skin with red.

This was fine. She was fine.

She placed two hands on either side of herself and forced herself to rise. The bandages around her neck had fallen off. Her body hurt a little from the impact of the blow, but, her nose burned more than anything else. The coldness of blood falling down her nose whilst her nose was inflamed from the kick was an unusual feeling. Whilst this was going on, Luffy had thrown a fist towards Arlong, but the fishman easily caught his fist and dug his hand into the stone in front of Luffy, before picking up a massive chunk of stone, with Luffy attached by his feet. He held Luffy's arm with his left hand, and the stone with his right.

"People with Devil Fruit powers can't swim! Though, even people without powers would sink in this situation!"
"He's gonna throw him in the sea?!" Zoro shouted as sweat rolled down his skin.
Luffy raised his fist then threw it towards Arlong. "Gum-Gum Pistol!" He slammed it into his face but Arlong caught his arm between his teeth. "Oww!"
"Fool."
"Damn you!" In response, Luffy bit into Arlong's arm bearing his insignia. [Y/N] passed by Johnny and Yosaku, patting them both on the shoulder as she slowly heads towards Arlong and Luffy, stopping when seeing the biting match between the two. She sweat dropped.

"How pointless," Kuroobi said. Then, all of a sudden, Arlong throws Luffy towards the sea.
"Luffy!"
"Damn you!" Sanji seethes.
"f*ck-" [Y/N] snarled as Luffy fell into the sea. The blue waters splash upwards from the weight, droplets scattering everywhere.

"I'm coming to save..."
"Idiot! Don't get worked up!" Zoro shouted, stopping Sanji from throwing himself into the sea. "They want us to go in the water! The fishmen'd obviously have the advantage in an underwater fight!" Sanji and [Y/N] both looked over towards the fishmen in question. It was true they would have the advantage as they were fully adapted to the water. So it made it even better the fact they were completely surrounded by water.
"So. Take these guys down in an instant, the go into the water?"
"Let's do it! There's no time!" Zoro unsheathed his sword.
"Yeah!"

[Y/N] blinked towards them as they both got into defensive positions, ready to fight the fishmen. [Y/N] turned her head back towards the body of water. She squinted her eyes at the blue waters hitting against the stone. It could be possible to use her powers. It would save Luffy...but. She also needed to be able to see him. This water wasn't helping. And, her bandages had fallen off in the fight previously.

Luffy didn't have time for her indecisiveness. He couldn't breathe.

f*ck it.

[Y/N] crept down in front of the water, taking a sharp inhale, and placed her head into the water. She leaned a little more, enough for the water to graze against the neck. The severe wound of her neck flared up with even more pain; it burned the longer the salt water irritated the already sensitive area of her neck. The pain rose, but she ignored it. [F/C] magic started to coat her hand; she placed her hand into the water, facing her palm towards the rubber pirate. Her cheeks puffed out from the need for air- magic licked around Luffy's body and the stone slowly rose to the surface.

At least this way she wouldn't be completely in the water where the fishmen would have an advantage.

Just a little more...

A little...

[Y/N] placed her other hand in the water to try to grasp his. The fingers grazed...until someone wrapped their hand around her neck and pulled her from the body of water, raising her body above them. [Y/N] tried to claw at their hand, her eyes narrowed through theirs: her anger rose as her eyes met with that of Arlong's. His smirk widened the more she tried to tear off his hand from around her throat. Sanji and Zoro both called out, but were stopped in their tracks by their opponents.

Zoro harshly gripped his sword in his hand. His knuckles whitened and his expression morphed into one between pain and anger. Sanji's eyes widened and he could only angrily glare at Kuroobi. His cigarette rested between his teeth, swirls of smoke twirling into the air.

Arlong tightened his grip around her neck and his eyes caught sight of the bullet wound against her neck, which was red and inflamed, with droplets falling down the wound. He began to add pressure to her neck so his nails tore into her skin, flicking off pieces of skin- his smirk widened as her expression contorted into one of pain, biting down on her lip to stop the pain from erupting from her throat.

"This'll teach you for trying to intervene," Arlong said, the look in his eyes undetectable. He dug his nails into the bullet wound, and tore from the bullet wound to her shoulder (tearing off her shirt from her shoulder) in one slash with his hand. [Y/N]'s body collapsed to the floor as he let go of her neck. She fell to her knees. Blood poured down her shoulder and soaked through her shirt, the blood that dripped down clung to skin and stained her skin in red. She shakily raised her hand and pressed it against her shoulder. Her eyes widened at the red dripping in-between her fingers.

Arlong scoffed, turning around. "And to think I expected more from Fuji's kid." He turned his head so his eyes shone in her direction. "You're weak. You will never be as strong as her."
"[Y/N]!!" Zoro and Sanji shouted at the same time after seeing the blood running down her shoulder. Anger bubbled within them both the longer they looked in her direction, staring at the blood dripping in-between her fingers and the massive scratch marks across her shoulder. It was a burning, bright red, with flicks of skin falling off, or scattered across her shoulders. The townsfolk gaped in alarm.

A shadow cast itself across [Y/N]'s eyes as she forced herself to stand with one hand pressed the ground, and pulled herself up. She wiped her bloody hand on the side of her trousers and started to step forward. [Y/N] traced her hand over the blood coating her shoulder, and the blood coating her hand; she threw her hand upwards and the blood slowly floated. She wrote a symbol in the air and the blood started to morph into sharp, long shards as though it was red glass.

She clicked her fingers and the shards at an extreme speed flew towards Arlong and sliced through his sides, embedding themselves there. He grunted in pain, turning his head to gaze at the shards as blood ran down his sides. He forcefully grabbed hold of each one and threw them on the floor. He turned around so his eyes met [Y/N]'s blood red ones. She snarled, "I intend to be stronger."

The bubbles across the surface were beginning to become smaller and smaller.

[Y/N] turned her head towards the water, watching as the bubbles became smaller and smaller. "Luffy was one of the first to not see me as a monster. And I don't intend to lose my Captain before that." The sound of heavy breathing stopped [Y/N] from staring at the sea. Instead, she turned her head towards Zoro, who's face, and torso, was drenched in sweat. He was overdoing it. Whilst this was taking place, Sanji had dodged Kuroobi's fist, and sent two kicks but was blocked by the Fishman's fist.

Zoro gripped his sword more harshly. The sweat rolling down his tan skin caused his clothes to stick to his body. He raised his hand and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. His injuries were not making it any better for him. [Y/N] clicked her tongue. "You are not going into the sea after Luffy," She ignored the glare he sent in her direction. "I am sorry." He looked to her in surprise.

Genzo and Nojiko went off to try to get Luffy from the bottom of the water, whilst Sanji was still kicking at Kuroobi who deflected each attack.

"Maybe I should have stopped your duel with Asuka you would have never gained such injuries," Zoro scoffed at her answer. He said, "It wasn't your fault. I asked her to do it. Plus, I wanted to see how far I truly was from that dream of mine." He almost fell over before [Y/N] wrapped her arm around his shoulders. She gripped his shoulder and softly smiled. His face dotted with a red blush.
"Let me just heal you a little. Did you know I could heal you completely through a kiss?"

...

[Y/N]'s grin widened whilst Zoro's face burst bright red. "Don't joke around with me like that!" He tried to get away from her hold and almost fell over from trying to get away from the demon.

[Y/N] just smiled and made no effort to move towards him. If he didn't want to be kissed she wouldn't force it. Consent was key. The young demon said, "Or, I could just simply heal you like I did with Usopp. Just with my hands. I'm not going to force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. But I do think you need to be healed." She raised her head to glare at Hachi. "And, you intervene, even for a moment, and Iwill tear off each arm and watch with a smile on my face as you writhe in agony. Ok?~" She closed her eyes in a closed eye smile and tilted her head to the side.

Hachi gulped, and sweat started to build up across his head and drip down his skin. The look of death and blood-lust swirling in her eyes sent a trail of fear to run down his spine. Even after having her shoulder torn into by Arlong of all people, she seemed to be up and to be acting normal. Zoro nearly fell over but caught himself just in time. Sanji's eyes widened as he turned around to look at Zoro whilst Arlong frowned. "Just as I thought, the wounds from your fight with Asuka-chan are..."
Johnny and Yosaku shouted, "Big Bro!"

Despite her warning, Hachi stared to climb up the building to do his "secret technique". Turns out, Hachi's "true form" was to go through one of the doors and grab hold of six swords. Since...of course it would be. [Y/N] stepped towards Zoro and carefully wrapped her arms around his waist (he couldn't help but blush from the closeness as she pressed her head against his chest) to undo the bandages. As each bandage had become undone, her hands glowed green and she pressed them against the gaping wounds across his chest. She bit down on her lip as she focused, flinching each time Zoro groaned in pain.
"Sorry." She murmured quietly.

[Y/N] ignored the blood coating her hands to focus on healing the wounds across his chest. Slowly, skin-upon-skin was forming across each other, until the wound became nothing more than a massive, discoloured scar across his chest. The pain was evidently still there, and he wasn't well, but the wound itself could even be opened back up if he wasn't careful or if someone did a bad enough wound.

Even if his wound had healed, his fever had become too much for him. He fell forwards and landed in [Y/N]'s arms as she caught him just in time.
"Ah! Big Bro!"
"So he was bearing through this entire time!"
"His injuries would have left a normal person bedridden for half a year!"
Sanji turned towards the gasping, sweating Zoro. "I thought something was strange. He looked as if nothing had happened right after that fierce fight. Is he an idiot or what?" Kuroobi's fist slammed into his gut before he could register it.

He coughed and dropped his cigarette as he was thrown backwards and smashed through the wall. He landed harshly against the ground with dirt and blood across his head and cheeks. The blow must have knocked him out.
"I thought I warned you to pay attention. I have a fortieth dan in Fishman Karate." Kuroobi turned towards Arlong. "He's been taken care of Arlong-san. What do we do with Roronoa Zoro and Fuji's daughter?"
"Just ditch him in the sea. Same with Fuji's daughter. What weaklings...How boring!"

[Y/N] pressed her finger against her bleeding shoulder and wrote a symbol, reading 'barrier' in her native language and wrote it across his chest so an invisible barrier formed around the young swordsman. It would disappear when he was able to stand his own weight, or not move around as though he was drunk. [Y/N] took a step back before running forward and throwing herself into the water.

[Y/N] started to swim down to the bottom of the sea, where Nojiko was pumping at Luffy's chest (whilst the rest of his body was stretched out to the surface). [Y/N] flinched at the pain stabbing into her shoulder; her mouth opened to grunt in pain and bubbles exploded from her open mouth. She pressed one of her hands against her mouth and continued to swim down to the bottom. She just needed to kick the stone with her foot, forcefully, then Luffy's feet would be free.

Nojiko looked up at her in time as she continued to press her hands against Luffy's chest. She waved, closing her eyes in a closed eye smile. Neither noticed one of the Fishman jumping into the water and swimming towards [Y/N] at a fast rate. Nojiko tilted her head to the side and her eyes widened in realisation. [Y/N] frowned, confusion across her expression until she turned around and saw Kuroobi swimming towards her at a fast rate.

sh*t. I should have thought this through, shouldn't I?

"We are more adapt in the water, did you really think you could outpower us?"
[Y/N] narrowed her eyes, before turning her attention to someone jumping into the water. It was Sanji. He must have woken up and seen Kuroobi jumping into the water and pieced it together someone had jumped into the water after Luffy.

Kuroobi propped his fist back, ready to swing his fist in direction before Sanji catches his wrist just in time, a look of anger in his eyes.

Oh, he was definitely in for a fight.

Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Wake up, Sleeping Beauty! It's Time to Fight! And, All's Well That Ends Well!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Arlong Park Arc

Zoro had already finished his fight back up on the surface, but Sanji had not yet won his. Sanji raised his kick and attempted to kick Kuroobi, slamming against the fishman's side. The blow itself didn't do much due to the fact his kicks, which were often formidable and strong, had its power cut in half. Kuroobi wrapped his arm around Sanji's neck and started to swim down, as bubbles spewed from Sanji's mouth. "Fishman Karate...Forearm Sledge!" Sanji floated close to the bottom after being slammed against the ground.

Kuroobi, after spotting Nojiko trying to pump Luffy's chest, started to swim towards them at a fast rate. "What's the point of extending his life like that?! I'll sink you as well!" The fishman held his head with his hands as a sharp pull forced him backwards in the water from Sanji holding his hair in both hands, with an angry expression across his face. Kuroonbi looked back, his eyes narrowed as he held his hair.

Kuroobi scowled. "You damn human!" He threw his head back so his hair flew from Sanji's grasp, sending the cook a little forward. "Are you seriously trying to fight me in the water?!" Sanji pressed his hand against his mouth, his eyes dilated from the lack of oxygen in his lungs. Human beings could only breathe for so long in the water. "You're an inferior species that has to worry about holding your breath! Okay, I'll fight. Fishman Karate! Duelling Hair Tether!" Kuroobi started to spin, throwing his hair, kept in long braids, around in a circle.

He threw his head forward and his long hair wrapped around Sanji's waist, grabbed hold of his own hair, and forced Sanji to fly towards him. Sanji raised his leg and tried to kick Kuroobi but his leg sluggishly flew through the water. "You son of a..." More bubbles spewed from his mouth.
Kuroobi smirked. "What's that? The power of your kick dropped in half. That's the limit for humans. But Fishman Karate's power doesn't drop even in the water! Rather, depending on the technique, the power doubles."

You raised your leg and pounded it into the rock which immediately shattered on impact. You rose your hand and sent Nojiko a thumbs up as the blue-haired woman continued to pound Luffy's chest with both hands.

Sanji's shirt moved around in the water from side-to-side. He glared at Kuroobi as the fishman, with one finger against his palm, threw his arm before him and his other arm was behind him. "Fishman Karate! Instant Undersea..." His knee shot upwards and hit Sanji in the gut. More bubbles spewed from the young cook's mouth as his mouth gaped open from the blow. "Bowel Buster!" It knocked him backwards but Kuroobi pulled him back since his hair was still wrapped around his waist. "Fishman Karate!" Kuroobi spun around erratically, before his leg shot upwards and slammed against his head.

Sanji fell forwards and Kuroobi's attacks didn't let up. At least, his last attack caused Sanji to fly towards the wall and his hair unwrapped from around his waist. Smoke flew everywhere, including fragments from the rock wall as Sanji made contact with the wall. Whilst this was happening, you swam towards Sanji, trying to swerve past Kuroobi's line of sight.

Maybe you could try to heal him while underwater? You could try to use your hands and heal him like that, but, you hadn't attempted it underwater before. And, the pain in your shoulder was becoming too much for you to handle. From these massive scratch marks, along with the added sea water making it worse, you would not be able to deal with it much longer. At least, you could try to heal Sanji before you reached the surface.

Sanji started to swim hastily towards the surface, his cheeks puffed out. His eyes focused on daylight above him, the taste of air close. He could feel it. The way it shone, how perfect it was. Yet, Kuroobi managed to swim above him, his silhouette over the light, his smirk widening. It seemed more like a joke than anything else to this man. To watch as someone couldn't breathe, who was not on par with him in the water, just boosted his ego evermore. It was true Fishmen had evolved from humans, had become adapt in the water. That's why it made sense their strength, their abilities was so lethal if you found yourself against one in the water.

Not that every Fishman was the same. Most were pleasant, (possibly even scared of human beings) towards humans. It just happened to be those who became pirates who had an ego, and had an agenda against humans.

"Where're you going?" Kuroobi smirked even more.
Sanji pressed one of hands against his mouth, and waved the other erratically in the water. "Dammit! Let me through. I need air! Let me breathe!"
"Seriously what amazing strength...I can't believe he's human."

You pressed your finger against your shoulder, as more blood spread out across the water, mixing the water with a red tint. You raised your finger into the air and started to trace a symbol into the water. It started to glow a faint red, the letters you had traced in your ancient dialect read "Blood". Blood spewed from your nose as you pressed your fingers against the symbol. The air was starting to escape your lungs, including the blood from your nose. It was becoming harder to breathe as the bubbles erupted from your mouth.

Kuroobi spoke, "If I remember correctly, you said that those who harm a lady are crap. But look how it's turning out-" A massive red shard, in the shape of a knife, sped past Kuroobi and missed him by an inch. His eyes widened as the knife made contact with the wall behind him and exploded upon impact. Blood spewed everywhere across the water, and the rock wall started to crumble. Blood, when used, became dangerous. To use it, to make it become something else by morphing its properties, was a powerful ability. Except, to use your blood is dangerous...you could die from blood loss if you were not careful.

You cracked your neck to the side as you threw your hand aggressively sideways so the Fishman was aggressively sent hurtling against the rock wall. Once he landed, fragments of rock were thrown everywhere followed by smoke. Sanji, despite barely breathing himself, swam towards you and cupped your face with his hands, softly gliding his thumb across your cheek. "[Y/N]-chan, are you alright? You need to get back up to the surface, you're hurt." You softly smiled. His tone was so sweet, and gentle. You cupped his face in your hands, smiling more as his cheeks flushed darker, and you lean in, pressing a kiss to his lips.

His eyes widened; his cheeks flushed darker and he was frozen. He didn't expect for your lips to be so soft against his, or expect you to take charge, even as he kissed you back. Even so, he liked it. Your lips glowed, for just a moment, as his entire body flickered with green magic, to heal each bone cracked, or each scratch he gained. The kiss had even managed to give him a few more breaths of air. The kiss lasted for a little longer; it was filled with adoration, and care.

You released him from the kiss, pressing another one against his lips, before smiling. "You can beat him, San. Kick his arse for Nami, ok?" His face was still bright red (reaching the tips of his ears), and his eyes turned to hearts as he nodded his head. You let go of his face and he let go of yours so you could swim to the surface, gasping as you reached the surface, and gulped. You rolled over onto your back, your chest heaving up and down. It was good to have nice, clean air again.

Zoro, who was now wearing his bandana around his head, watched as Sanji (after around a minute, or so) finally came to the surface. He gasped for air, and climbed beside Zoro, his head hung low. "Hey..."
"Don't worry. He's ok."
"Yeah, sort of."
"Sort of?" Zoro questioned.
"I'll explain it later." You couldn't help but smile at the pair, before you rolled over, your cheek smushed against the ground. Your eyes locked onto Zoro's chest. His wounds had been reopened, with blood pouring down his slash marks, the skin reddening as skin flicked off the wounds.

Hachi must have reopened them.

Sanji turned around and pointed towards the water. "Anyhow, come out of the water, you damn fish! Let's settle this!" Kuroobi climbed out of the water with his eyes dilated, and his red veins across his eyes, with his body drenched with water. "You still don't get it, do you? Whether it's in the water or on the ground, it's the same. I'm really angry! I'll make you experience the essence of Fishman Karate!" He stood up tall. "The earlier attack I used to send you flying was the Hundred-Brick Fist! But my ultimate attack is the Thousand-Brick Fist!"

"Those are really bad names," You humoured to yourself, forcing to yourself to stand as you wobbly walked over to Zoro and sat down cross-legged beside him, resting your head against his shoulder. "At least come up with better names."
Zoro tilted his head towards you and huffed, his cheeks flushing red. "Sorry, that octopus bastard reopened my wounds when we were fighting." You and Zoro watched as Sanji knocked his leg into Kuroobi's face, sending him backwards. It slammed him against the ground sending fragments of stone to fall everywhere as his head made contact.

"It's not your fault," You looked down at your chest. Your cream-coloured bra was peeking through of your shirt. Your shirt seemed to cling to your skin as water trailed down your body. You scoffed, your eyes narrowing. Why did you have to have boobs? They were annoying. "Do you have anything I can wear so no one else can see my bra?" Zoro stared at your chest, his cheeks flushing darkly and he aggressively looked away.
"Why didn't you warn me?!"
"I kinda did, you just took the opportunity to look." Zoro took off what was around his shoulders and wrapped it around you. "Thanks. I need to heal you again."

"No."
"No?" You asked, confused.
"You're not in the best state yourself," He simply said, watching Sanji.

Sanji slammed his foot against Kuroobi's head again, causing his head to knock against the ground again. After several more hits, he sent the fishman backwards. Everyone stared in surprise, their mouths agape. Kuroobi struggled to get up. "You...Son of a bitch! Ultimate Fist! Thousand-Brick!" The Fishman stood there with his fist out before himself. He stared, his mouth gaping open. Sanji had jumped up, his body curling forward and he slammed his foot into the Fishman's face. "Mouton...Shot!!" Kuroobi was sent hurtling into the building, tearing through several walls; smoke flew out everywhere, followed by fragments which hurtled across the air.

Half of Kuroobi's body hung out of the broken wall.

You said, bluntly, without an ounce of embarrassment, "He's kinda sexy." Zoro narrowed his eyes and sent you a 'are you serious?' type of look. You simply crossed your arms against your chest and snorted at his stare. He just couldn't seem to believe it. Maybe he just didn't like you calling Sanji that, or he was jealous. Definitely jealous. You felt a sense of pride bubbling to the surface.

He had beaten one of the leaders of Arlong's crew. You and Sanji had known each other since you were younger, and even if you hadn't seen each other for years, you knew how much he had changed.

Sanji stood back up, a frown across his face. "I guess...he doesn't want dessert?" A snort erupted from the back of your throat.
"Come on, let me heal you, Zoro," You said, leaning your head against his shoulder. You raised your hand, and allowed for your veins to glow green, trailing down your arm until the veins in your hands began to glow, enveloping your hand in the same shade. It began to glow green on command.
"No."
"Why are you being so stubborn?" You asked as your eyes started to close.
"I am not." He looked towards his shoulder, and his eyes blinked upon realising you were asleep and all he could hear was your snores. Your hand hit against the cold floor and the green glow started to fade. Zoro still held his swords in his hands, gripping them harshly.

Arlong raised his head up, a frown across his face. "Kuroobi...Hachi..."
Sanji slid his feet back into his shoes. "They're small fish, after all. It's a million and fifty thousand years too early for them to go against a cook." Sanji hit his foot against the ground. "We win this game."
Arlong stood up and clenched his fist. "How dare you bastards beat my dear brothers one after another...?" A shadow covered over his eyes. "Aren't you getting a little carried away?!" His eyes narrowed, his eyes dilated, bright blue. He was angry.

Zoro shakily attempted to stand up with his hands against his legs. You blink your eyes open and shakily stood up, wobblily walking until you rested your hand against one of the pillars to secure yourself. Zoro asked, "Hey, what do you mean by Luffy being sort of okay?" Sweat rolled down his face.
"It means that he won't die for the time being. The boulder has already been shattered, he just needs to be revived. Nami-chan's sister is still pushing his chest but his head is on the surface."
"Then, I guess we gotta fight until that idiot wakes up," Zoro said.

Your entire body burned and hurt each time you moved even an inch. But, you couldn't give up right now. You needed to continue fighting, for Luffy, for Sanji, for Zoro...and for Nami most of all.

All three of the pirates, Sanji, Zoro and you, had collapsed to the ground. Arlong's attack had caused them to cough up blood; they were all in an even more weakened state. "ARLONG!" Nami shouted as she appeared beside Yosaku and Johnny, holding her staff in her right hand whilst Luffy's hat rested against her head. You raise your head, biting down on your lip to ignore the pain rising through your entire body. It was more so due to the pain in your shoulder. You were stronger than this...then why did you feel so weak?

You were the Reaper, are a Reaper. Don't let one measly wound tear you down and make you weak. Fight. Never show an ounce of weakness.

You raise your head after hearing your father's words. He had a point with not giving in to the fight, in truly showing one wound could not stop you. Heh, it was strange to agree with that bastard for once. Your eyes trail over Nami's figure, to her narrowed, angry eyes.
"Hey, Nami! I was about to crush some pirates just now. What did you come here for?" He started to laugh.

Nami raised her head. "To kill you."
"To kill...me?" He began to cackle, his entire body moving as he continued to laugh. "You never learn, do you? How many times did you try to kill me during the eight years you were with us?" A shadow cast over her eyes and she bit down on her bottom lip. "You tried assassination, poison, sneak attacks...Were you able to actually kill me? You must be completely aware that you mere humans can't kill me." Nami glares at Arlong with her hand still gripping her staff. "Now, listen, I won't kill you...and you can't escape from me. Nami...You'll be our surveyor forever."

You raise your leg and slam it upwards into Arlong's chin, sending him into the air and was thrown upwards into the building. The wall smashed upon impact, and his body loosely laid over the broken wall. Blood spewed from his mouth and nose. He coughed into his hand and blood stained his hands. Your body wobbles as you manage to stand back up, sliding your hand onto your shoulder. A grotesque crack echoed as you cracked it back into place.

You comb your fingers through your hair and sigh, tilting your head to the side towards Nami with a soft smile across your face. "Hey, nami-gator! I won't stop fighting! And 'nami-gator', get it?" You beam, your smile widening. Nami can't help the laugh at your joke, a string of snorts erupting from her throat before she presses her hand to her mouth. It was downright childish, but it still made Nami laugh. The townsfolk stared at Nami in surprise; they hadn't heard her laugh like that in years. Happy, and carefree.

Arlong jumped down in front of you, his eyes narrowed and his sharp teeth in a snarl. "Just stay down. Just see you humans are the inferior species!"
You smile, shrugging your shoulders with both of your palms facing upwards. "I mean, I would disagree." You wink. "There is alotof things right with humans. Nami isournavigator and a valued member. I am going to keep standing for everyone, for Nami. And, I'm waiting for a certain Straw Hat to appear."

Arlong growls to himself before turning towards Nami and points at her. "I'll be killing everyone here except you." Nami's face paled. "But if you happily come back to the Arlong Pirates and draw sea charts as one of the leaders, I don't mind letting those people from Cocoyashi Village live. But I can't let these guys live." Arlong kicks Sanji over who attempts to get up but fails. Your fists clench at your sides. "They went too far. The question is who you'll be with. You either take my side now and get saved along with the villagers, or be on these weaklings' side and try fighting against me with everyone. But with these guys you depend on in this shape, it's obvious that it'll be a tragedy for you."

He rose his head, his expression manic. "Nami...Are you my friend? Or...their friend?" This was Nami's choice to make. You wouldn't do anything until she made her decision. You would protect both Zoro and Sanji, but, Nami still had a decision to make. Nami had a soft, kind heart, and this question would certainly stir something inside of her heart. You could almost sense her heart clenching in agony. She pulled down Luffy's hat over her eyes.

She suddenly turned around and smiled at the townspeople. "Everyone, I'm sorry. Please die with me!" All of them cheered and threw up their weapons into the air, shouting "All right! We'll go for it!"
"I see...Everyone wants to be killed..." You stepped in front of him, a smirk across your face. Water started to sprout from behind the wall; it sprayed everywhere like a fountain. Sanji shared the same expression as you. It looked like Luffy was awake, and well. You just needed to give him more time so Arlong didn't kill the townspeople, Nami and your favourite pair.

"Looks like our favourite Captain is awake," You muse, clenching your fist against your side.
"About time."
"Aw, were you two worried?~"
"Of course not!"
"Yeah, yeah," Arlong turned towards you as you sent him a smirk. You propped your fist back, and slammed it into his gut, a cracking sound echoing; you saw red as he was sent hurtling backwards into the wall. Blood sprayed from his mouth and nose. Zoro shakily stood back up, followed by Sanji. "Should either of you be standing right now?"

Zoro unsheathed his sword, smirking. He seemed to be ignoring the blood pouring down his wounds as he stepped. "We could say the same." Instead of responding, you crack your neck to the side, pursing your lips together. Zoro and Sanji stand on either side of you.

Jeez, Luffy could be such a handful sometimes.

Arlong held Zoro by his neck, raising his body above him as blood trailed down his mouth. Sanji was sprawled across the ground, whilst you tried to heal him as best you could. His wounds he had gained from Arlong were starting to heal properly as you pressed your hands against his chest.
"What's this scar?" Arlong seemed to question.How can he still be alive with a body like this?Zoro glared into his eyes, an untraceable look in his eyes.What is this look? Are they the eyes of someone who's dying?

Zoro smiled.

Before Arlong could say anything, Luffy suddenly sprang into the air, twirling around into a circle. "Wahhhhh! I'm back!" Johnny and Yosaku started to cry with joy at the rubber man's entrance. Zoro looked up in time. Luffy extended his arms and grabbed him by his shirt, and sent him hurtling into the air. You and Sanji both watch as Zoro twirls in the air, before landing somewhere.
"He never thinks, does he?" You say, humour in your voice more than anything. Sanji snorts. "Maybe we should put a leash on him so he doesn't do anything drastic."

Sanji takes out a cigarette from his pocket and quickly lights it. He places it in-between his teeth and smiles at you. "Too late. He already killed Zoro."
"I mean, if his wounds haven't killed him, that throw definitely did. Still, I admire the fact Luffy appeared in time." Sanji blows smoke from his mouth as he takes the cigarette from his mouth.
"Gum-Gum...Bell!!" Luffy's neck extends; he throws his head back and slams it against Arlong's head before delivering a kick to his side, then, his arm extends backwards before his one punch turns into several against the Fishman's stomach.

The constant array of punches sent the fishman hurtling through the wall as it easily crumbled away. He fell onto his back, resting underneath the broken off fragments of the wall. Luffy pressed his fists together-raising his head and cracking his knuckles. "That was my warm-up." He started to stretch, with one hand on his sides and he tilted sideways.

You pat Sanji's head before forcing yourself to stand. He stares at you in confusion. You pat your hands against your sides, rubbing off any invisible dirt. "I'm going to help our Captain, even if he doesn't need it." The cook tilts his head to stare at your shoulder, where the claw marks were now hidden.
"But, [Y/N]-chan..."
"I'll be fine." You waved off his comments with your hand and stepped towards Luffy. It was about time this Fishman was taken care of once and for all. To free Nami from her chains, to free the townspeople and get revenge for everything he had done.

Arlong started to smirk once again. "What's the terrifying difference between you and me?"
"Nose." He was being serious. "Jaw?" He looked to you for assistance with his two fists clenched in front of him. You sweat drop at his answer. He surely couldn't be this naïve, could he? Then again, this was Luffy.
"Uh...he means you're a human, and he's a Fishman." The thought suddenly clicked in his mind and his eyes lit up as though he only just realised. Arlong begins trying to bite Luffy, who manages to dodge out of the way.

The Fishman grabs hold of his neck and slams him against the pillar, opening his jaws and tried to bite him but Luffy moved his head out of the way before he could, so the Fishman bit into the pillar. Arlong gripped the pillar harder between his teeth, causing the massive structure to begin to shatter, worming its way across the structure before it broke off into fragments.

Luffy managed to scamper away from the Fishman, crawling across the floor and stood up beside you.
Arlong smirked. "You see? This is the inherent power of a fishman." You look towards some of the larger fragments scattered across the exterior. A sudden desire to copy his action and attempt to bite down into the stone was becoming increasingly more desirable each second you thought about it. Maybe it wasn't best to let your desires take over sometimes, but...you justneededto for some reason. Arlong walked out from the smoke. "Heaven discriminated against you humans and made you powerless creatures that bow before fishmen."

Everyone watches as you open your mouth and bite down on the piece of rubble you are holding. No one expects anything to happen, and they just think you're just being downright childish but when the rubble starts to crack as you add more pressure, they blankly watch as it shatters into smaller fragments. You cough up some dusty particles, slamming your fist against your chest to get rid of it all. The townspeople (even including Nami) gape in alarm at your form as you cough and laugh. Arlong frowns, sweat rolling down his face. "I did it!"

He gripped the swords with both hands and started to slash them towards Arlong. It was very much evident he had no idea how to properly use a sword. Whilst Luffy was doing that, you stood in front of the building. It wouldn't hurt to just...destroy it, would it? Arlong's crew would not be welcomed here any longer, so, might as well destroy the very building they had built since their residence here.

You raised your hand above yourself. The feel of coldness nipped along your fingers, your hands, as magic began to flow through your veins in a [f/c] shade. Your eyes slowly close. A wave of calmness overtook your body, lightly caressing around you as your magic raises and envelops the air around you. You raise one of your fingers, and your body begins to ascend. Your eyes open, glowing [f/c]. The entire building is now covered head-to-toe in [f/c] magic and it starts to rise into the air. Upon command, the building turns slowly onto its side. The sound of papers and anything else within the building can be heard scattering around and falling.

The townspeople felt sweat rolled down their faces at the sight of such power before them, and the fact Luffy had shattered Arlong's teeth.

Now was likely not the time to comment how "amazing" his abilities were.

With a wave of your hand, after uttering a string of dialect barely anyone is able to hear, the building plummets to the ground. Wood flies everywhere, followed by stone as it smashes violently against the ground. Smoke covers the entire building and cracks begin to from along the structure as it lands. With the same expression across your face, you land on two feet, stepping towards the building (dodging a few of Arlong's attacks) and raising one leg, slammed it against the building. A massive hole formed where you had kicked it, taking the time to ignore the fragments and dust flying everywhere.

You can see clearly, from the other side, of the blue sea and the rest of the environment around it. Oddly enough, the only room left untouched was Nami's (regardless of the papers flown everywhere.) The appearance of their building almost completely destroyed left a pleasant taste on your tongue. But, something pinched at your side. The feeling of something cold running down your skin seemed almost familiar.

Your hand presses against the liquid running down your side, and your eyes widen as you raise your hand to see the black/red blood dripping in-between your fingers. "Hm, another wound...I'm never careful enough, am I?" Arlong has bit down on your side, adding more pressure onto biting down. Sharks had a strong grip strength- they could truly do damage if they wrapped their jaws around you. Both you and Arlong share a glance for a moment.
"Hey! Get off [Y/N], you weirdo!" Luffy shouts from the side-lines.

A smile spreads across your face despite the blood staining your hands. "Kick his arse, Luff!" Luffy beamed, nodding in agreement. It doesn't take long for you to sit down cross-legged beside Sanji. The blond-haired chef takes his cigarette from between his teeth, before taking in a big inhale, then exhaled the smoke from his nostrils. He makes no comment, but he does blush (a vibrant blood red, reaching from his cheeks to his ears) as you fell against his shoulder. Not to say he wasn't worried about the fact Arlong had bit into your side- even if you took it like a champ- but you were bleeding, and had already sustained injuries.

"Could you heal yourself, [Y/N]-chan? I don't like you being hurt," Sanji spoke, softly. He placed his cigarette back between his teeth, turning his head towards you with a caring smile on his face. "It takes a lot longer for my body to self-heal," You say, irritably. "For one body to be full of so much power, and magic, and I can't even heal myself properly."
He laughed as you puffed out your cheeks. You had the ability to wrap him around your finger. From a simple smile to the way your cheeks puffed out whenever you concentrated, how your eyes seemed to widen whenever you saw something you liked, or, how your scar across your face just added to your beauty.

How he loved each curve, each roll you had. How he adored each stretch mark you had across your entire body; he just...adored you.

"Hey," You began, smirking as you caught his stare. He immediately looked away, his cheeks darkening. "Were you staring at me? You used to do that a lot when we were kids, as well-" You and Sanji both watch as Luffy is thrown into Nami's room and scatters glass everywhere, as the Fishman now holds a large, jagged black saw in his hand. Arlong follows close after Luffy. "By peering around corners and just watching as I trained, or just talked to someone."
His cigarette falls from his teeth but he catches it in time. "You knew?"

"Of course I did, you weren't too hard to notice. You aren't exactly a ninja."

From inside of Nami's room, Luffy pressed his back against the bookcase. The feel of wood against his back was comfortable enough, even if he could feel his vest clinging to his back from his sweat rolling down his back. The air in this room was stuffy, and uncomfortable. There was something that reminded him of the evil in the world, how people used others to do as they wished.

He hadn't yet noticed the blood-stained pen across the desk. It was dried blood, from age. Flicks of blood covered the pen entirely, the scent of old blood in the air. Graphs of different islands were attached above, whilst much larger maps Nami had made herself were placed in boxes, whilst a bookshelf was near to the massive stacks of paper (there were multiple stacks full of maps, in detail).

Arlong smirks, not completely amused by the idea. "You plan to make her the navigator of some shabby boat? You'd only end up wasting your talent. That girl has a gift." The pen from the desk soon falls down onto the floor. Luffy picks it up, his head staring at the floor beneath him. Arlong locks Luffy's head between the jaws of the saw. The Pirate Captain puts the pen down- he raises his hand and wraps it around the blade, adding more and more pressure until it shattered.
"What?!"
Luffy's expression is serious. ""Use?!""

A desk comes flying out of the side of the building, soon followed by the sea charts and a bookcase. Books flew everywhere...

Luffy's foot flies through the ceiling, breaking the roof as he does so, and his foot slams down, slamming against Arlong's head, shattering the ground beneath them and shattered the building even more. The top of the building hurtles to the ground and shatters on impact. Arlong lays atop the rubble, the view above him of the floors smashed into. The wood was cold and uncomfortable against his back; splinters poked at his skin as he laid there.

But, the shock of Luffy's attack (plus your attack) causes Arlong Park to shake: the structure cracks, running along it like veins until it completely collapsed. Sanji wrapped his arms around your legs and waist, picking you up bridle style (and making you speechless with a flushed face) as he pressed your body against him as he ran, running through the hole in the wall and joining the townsfolk. You both stare, speechless, at the building.

Grey clouds float across the sky over the completely destroyed Arlong Park. As everyone begins to lose hope, their eyes cast upon the destroyed structure, hearts twisting painfully at the thought of losing Luffy, the clouds allow for the sun to peer through and shine upon everyone below. It mostly appears to focus on Arlong Park: Luffy bursts from the rubble, his body bloodied and dirty. The sun shines on him below.

Sweat rolls down his skin as his chest heaves up and down, blood staining his entire body. He shouted, "Nami!" His expression was serious as he looked up at their navigator. "You're my friend!" Nami bites down on lower lip as tears roll down her face and she uses her left, bandaged hand to wipe them away.
"H-He won?!"
"He won!" Everyone starts to cheer and runs to Luffy to throw him up into the air in a circle. Well, the joy soon ends at a certain, familiar voice.

"Okay, hold it right there!"All eyes divert to a beaten up Colonel Nezumi. You lightly slap Sanji's chest to indicate to put you down. A question is on the tip of his tongue but he relents, carefully placing you down back onto your feet. You slowly make your way through the crowd, picking up your swords on the way and reattaching them against your sides, towards Nezumi.

"Damn, it's him," A villager grumbles.
"Chichichichi.What a lucky day today is." He smirks. "Very nice. I saw the outcome of the entire fight, and I must say good work. I can only assume that your victory here was some sort of bizarre accident. I never thought the Fishmen would lose to riffraff like you and your crew." You finally made your way in front of him (he was too busy staring at Luffy to notice) and crossed your arms against your chest. "However, now that Arlong is out of the picture, I'll be taking all the money I was supposed to give to him in addition to all the treasure in Arlong Park. Now drop all your weapons! Colonel Nezumi..." He stopped talking as he finally noticed you. His eyes locked onto your body, tracing up and down, before he had sense of fear trail down his back, and his bruises and cuts seemed to hurt.

"What does he mean, [Y/N]?" Luffy asks as Zoro makes quick work of the Marines by beating them to a pulp. You tilt your head to the side, slowly turning around to face Luffy.Just tell them, right, Ezume? They aren't your real friends if they don't like you anymore or think of you as a monster."I destroyed an entire island when I was twelve," You started to explain, feeling everyone's eyes on you.It's now, or never. I guess."I lost control of my emotions and the power I have, within. Monstrous, uncontrollableWrath.Overexerting myself to the point of death may have caused extreme emotion to build up on the surface, and explode. Which is when that island became nothing more than another piece of history under the sea." You clench your fists and close your eyes. Your chest heaves up and down; the pain must of caught up with you as fire seemed to burn and flicker within your heart. It burned. "This caused the Government to be terrified of what I could do if I ever opposed them in the future. Which is why I became a Marine at such an early age, and why they forced me into that line of work. After all, with a father so high in power, who would surely watch over your actions, you wouldn't have much choice in the matter." Something about the darkness lacing your tone seemed to stir something protective within the Straw Hats. "This is why I feared joining your crew...if the Government caught word, they wouldn't just go after me, but...you guys as well. And, I never wanted anything to happen to any of you. Which is why it will probably be better for me not to be apart of your crew. I'm a bad person. I was stupid, I'm sorry-"

All of a sudden, Luffy extended his arm and slammed it against your head. Everyone gapes in horror. Was it due to the fact he hit you? Or because it didn't leave a mark (even after seeing the rubber man's power)? You raise your hand to your head, seemingly not too affected by it, and rub your head a few times before turning around and glaring at the rubber man. "What the hell, Luffy? Why would you-"
"-Why are you apologising?!"
"Huh?" You question.
"You're not a bad person and didn't want it to happen! You are myfriendand always will be!" Luffy seemed to declare. "Who cares about the Government?!" Tears start to roll down your cheeks. Coldness rolls down your cheeks, and falls onto the floor below. Zoro steps forward and wraps his arm around your shoulder, bringing you flush against his side.

"What our Captain said. We don't care about your past," He smiled, laughing a little at the heat rising to your cheeks. "We'll all fight the Government for ya, let them come."
Nami smiles and steps towards you, sliding her hands onto her hips. "Hey, I don't want to be the only girl on the ship. We need to stick together."

All of their praises and kind words was enough to make you sniffle. But, your heart clenched as though you had found what you hadn't felt in years.

Love.

And, you liked this feeling.

It was definitely a cheerful day for the people of Cocoyashi Village. The threat that was Arlong and his gang, after eight long years, had finally been taken care of after so long and they had pirates of all people to thank for that. To celebrate their freedom and the pirates who allowed it to happen, they decided to have a festival of sorts. With food, drink and of course, dancing.

The festivities had already started, so, Luffy was already indulging himself on the food laid out before him. He had already eaten numerous plates which were now stacked up on top of each other, to his side. His arm was wrapped up in fresh bandages. Nojiko and Chabo were watching the young boy indulge himself on his meal. Chabo parted his lips in surprise, not quite believing the Straw Hat to have defeated Arlong (well, not alone, but still. He had the power to do so.)

"Are you sure he saved the island?"
"Unbelievable as it may seem." Nojiko takes a swig of her beverage.

Groans can be heard from the building Zoro, and you had been taken into to get your wounds looked at. Sanji and Usopp were sitting outside, possibly waiting for both of your injuries to be taken care of. "Sounds like ol' Zoro's really hurting. It's a little odd we haven't heard [Y/N] complain. Her wounds seemed severe."
"Well, yeah. A normal person with those wounds would take two years to fully heal, but neither of them are human."

You watch as Nako sews up Zoro's chest, flinching at each stitch sliding in and out of his flesh, bringing it together with a simple tug. Nako scolded, "You both are fools! Trying to take care of such big injuries on your own." Well, you could have just healed Zoro, but he was being as stubborn as a mule. But, with your shoulder, and side, they were slowly healing, but, Nako had still taken care of them. Despite his serious expression, he was a kind man.
"Oww!" Zoro groans, again. Sweat rolls down his face from the pain.

The item of clothing Zoro wrapped around your shoulders is still there, despite the fact it now had a massive hole in the side, with bite marks and blood staining the piece of clothing. Oh well. A sigh erupts from the back of your throat as you move to stand beside the swordsman's bed, stuffing one hand into your pocket whilst you bit your nail on your other. "Honestly! Are you folks really pirates?!" Another painful tug. The doctor doesn't relent. "Don't you have a ship doctor?"
"No, we don't," You smile. Nako glares in your direction and your smile disappears immediately. It kind of reminded you of Masahiro's glare, but not quite as bad. "I've just been healing everyone by hand..."

You raise your hand and scratch the back of your neck as Nako scolds you further, "And you lose more energy from doing so! Having that type of magic causes you to need to eat more."
"And due to the fact I'm a demon."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"A doctor, that sounds good," Luffy speaks from the window above them. He holds a piece of meat in his hands.

Zoro looks up at his Captain. "Luffy?"
"But a musician comes first. Right, Zoro, [Y/N]?"
"Yeah, have them play a sweet violin solo as we plummet to the depths of the ocean and drown..." Ew, the ocean. Zoro laughs at your sour expression across your face. "But why is that, Luff?"
"Pirates sing, you know?"
"So why does that come first?!"
"Luff Lesson Number #1: f*ck Logic," A little sad you laugh at your own joke, but here we are. Chuckles soon become full blown laughter, and you start to cough. Raising hand up to your chest, you slam it against it a few times. "Having two hearts is such a pain."

Luffy soon leaves to go and find Nami.

Nako stares at you strangely, his mouth almost open in surprise. "Did you just say...you havetwo hearts?!"
"Heh, yeah."
"Don't act so calm about it!" Zoro shouts, wincing in pain as Nako continues his stitches. Whether his stitching or scolding were more lethal was a question in itself. Slowly, you sit on Zoro's left side, sitting cross-legged on the soft mattress (whilst floating a little to not fall off) and pressed your hands against your cheeks, your eyes crinkling in amusem*nt. "I've always had two. Born with them, in fact. I'm a demon after all. One circulates cold blood, and the other circulates warm blood. So I am both cold-blooded and warm-blooded. Fun, eh?" Your grin widens at the blank stare Zoro sends you.

Oddly, not much was known of demon anatomy. No one had sought out the knowledge on the species, and the only books on demon anatomy were within the Kingdom of Ibresal. Demons had two hearts (as well as four lungs and two stomachs), and were closely related to dragons. They were distant relatives, and both had numerous hearts, and both had a 'Soul Crystal'. It made up their entire being and consciousness. It could be taken out- and fetched a very high price- but, it came with high risk of the one who owns it losing their emotions and themselves completely if it were to be shattered.

Zoro looks up at you, his eyes trailing from the scar across your face to your eyes. He's about to look away, to try not to be caught, but you catch his stare just in time. "Something wrong, Zoro?" You smile, leaning down, forward.
He looks away, blush covering his cheeks. "No." At least, he wouldn't dare tell you how pretty your [e/c] eyes were.

A sense of doubt made its way to your heart and clung on with its talons tearing into all the confidence you had, as little as it may be. You had a way of pushing others away when they wanted to help, or feeling less of a person. You hated yourself, what you were, what you looked like. Each individual thought wormed its way through your subconscious, speaking poison. It speaks freely. Fear dances with wrath. They are acquainted, but wrath is terrified of fear and what it is capable of.

They said you were their friend but were you just an annoyance? An annoyance, but a strong one? Did they only keep you around for your power? Is that the only reason they seemed to care?

"[Y/N]."
Was your father right? Did they only care about how powerful you were?
"[Y/N]!"
You look up, unaware tears were rolling down your cheeks. You raise your hand and press your hand against your cheek, wiping at the tears with your fingers. They just continued to fall.

"Why are you crying?"
"I didn't realise I was," You wipe away the rest of your tears with the back of your palm. There was no point of staying here and ruining everyone else's fun. Were you being too dramatic? "I'm going to go for a walk." You use both hands to stand up. Both men exchange looks of confusion, and worry. "I'll be back soon." Before either of them could say anything in response, you head up the road, towards the Going Merry, and sea.

A yawn erupted from the back of your throat as you continued to step down the road, eyes looking up towards the midnight blue stars with white stars scattered across the sky. The moon glowed on the path beneath, each step enveloped by moonlight. The sound of music and cheers seems to only be distance noise by now, even if you were only by the sea. It was dark blue, lapping against the sides. The moon is a full moon: you sit down cross-legged before the sea, your eyes slowly closing as nothing could be heard nearby.

The festivities must have quietened down to the point everyone fell asleep.

A habit of yours had resurfaced; inside your pocket, you can feel the cold metal graze against your fingers as you grab hold of the lighter and pulled it out, followed by a single cigarette. A self-destructive habit used to deal with your stress. You were no different from everyone else. With a press of your fingertips against the cold metal, the end lights. You hover the flame underneath the end of the cigarette, waiting for the end of the cigarette glows bright red, swirls of smoke swirling into the air. You pressed the cigarette against your lips and took in a long inhale. Smoke blew from your nostrils.

Zoro crossed his arms against his chest. "Your old man sounds like an idiot."
"If he heard you saying that, you would be dead," A laugh of amusem*nt comes from you. It's enough to make Zoro smile, even a little, and break that wall of seriousness he seemed to usually have built. "But you aren't wrong. He's gonna kill me when he finds out I'm part of a pirate crew."
"Who even is your old man?"
"Rear Admiral Masahiro."
Zoro turns his head towards you and his face pales. "Masahiro...? The man who slaughtered one thousands pirates with his bare fists?"

"Yeah, that's him."
"Why are all of your family so blood-thirsty?" He questioned himself more than you. It was true, your family line was known for being immensely blood-thirsty. From a long line of powerful demons, to your father's line who were known to be part of the Marines, and killed pirates like it was nothing. Still, one question remained: how the hell did Fuji fall in love with Masahiro in the first place?
"No idea." The both of you were left in a state of silence for a few minutes whilst you snubbed out your cigarette against the ground, before opening your mouth and throwing it in. Zoro blankly stares at you before shouting, "WHY WOULD YOU EAT THAT?!"

"WHY NOT?!"
"ARE YOU STUPID?!" He continues as he grabs hold of your face with both of his hands- bringing you closer against him, pulling you flush against his body so you are chest to chest whilst resting in his lap- squeezing your cheeks. You squawk in surprise as you attempt to wrench his hands off your face but he doesn't relent. You give in, resting your hands on his wrists and puffing out your cheeks as he continues to squeeze. Your cheeks flush bright red and his aren't any better. His own face is bright red, realising how close the both of you were, and stops squeezing your face.

Your eyes meet, his thumbs wiping across your cheeks. Neither of you speaks for a moment as your eyes stare through each other's, your [e/c] eyes glowing and almost blending through his in a moment of calmness.
"Would you ever want to spar together? Hand to Hand? Or just with swords?"
"I guess..." His cheeks flushed a little more at such a thought. But he didn't dislike the idea.

You both stayed like that for a while until you both fell asleep. Zoro laid down against his back with one arm wrapped around your waist as you slept against his chest.

The next day, the skies were bright blue with only a few white clouds floating above the Going Merry. Everyone was carrying boxes up to the ship, using the ladder to climb up with the boxes resting against their arms. Boxes coated with [f/c] magic begin to float and land softly inside of the boat. The ship was ready to set sail any moment now, whilst everyone from Cocoyashi Village was awaiting their departure. "We got everything now?"
"Yeah!"
You slowly start to float, and land on both feet inside of the ship, listening in to everyone's conversation.
"Now, then. We got lots of provisions now. We're good to go."

Sanji removed his cigarette from his mouth to wave it around as he spoke. "Hey! Hold on! What about Nami-san?!"
Zoro turns around to face him. "Maybe she's not coming?"
"W-Why not?!" He angrily stepped towards Zoro with his fists clenched. "You! You made another pass at Nami-san again, didn't you?!" The young man always came to strange conclusions.
"Why would I do that?" You scowl at the two men. These two were going to grate on your nerves; yet, there was still an opportunity to put them in their place if they were becoming too much to handle.

The townspeople were starting to converse between themselves over Nami's disappearance. The young woman suddenly appears at the bottom of the path with her fists clenched against her sides and her eyes hidden by her locks overlapping. "Get the ship moving!"
"Huh? She's started sprinting!"
"Better do what the woman says!"

The sails drop and hit against the wooden mast of the ship, followed by Zoro grapping hold of the anchor and placing it inside of the ship. The ship started to move, moving forward. She starts to run down along the path, twisting in-between everyone and ignores their pleas to thank her.
Sanji holds his cigarette between his fingers. "Hey. Is it okay to let her leave like this?" Speaks the man who tried to do the same thing when he was leaving the Baratie. You press one hand against the edge of the ship and throw yourself onto it, so you sit on it, your head tilted to the side to watch as Nami intertwined between the villages, ignoring their pleas.

"Why not? It's her decision." Somehow, Nami manages to dodge past them all and with one gigantic leap, her foot catches the edge of the ship, and jumps one more time so her feet land on the ship. Nami lifts up her shirt and loads of wallets or purses fall down and land below. She turns her head toward the land they had just left (Usopp and Zoro sweat drop at the stairs of the ship) and says, "Take care, everyone!" Still, a smile graces her features. Full of joy, even happiness.

"Hey. She hasn't changed a bit."
"Who knows when she'll betray us again?" You raise both of your clenched fists and slam them down on Usopp and Zoro's heads, knocking them flat against the ground. A huff escapes from you as they get up to yell before you turn your head slightly, with blazing, blood red eyes. They both gulp (Usopp shrieks and falls down the stairs). You snort, scratching your cheek. "Say that again." The shadow beneath your feet starts to manifest and grow, slowly trailing up your body until it creates an aura around your figure. A true demon in disguise.

Nami waves her hands in the air. "Bye, everyone! I'll be back!"

Zoro rubs the top of his head- whilst Luffy and Sanji stare at Usopp's fallen body down the stairs- and grunts in annoyance. As you turn around to watch Nami as she waves goodbye, Zoro wraps his arms around your waist and as you both start to wrestle, you both roll down the stairs. You 'softly' bite down on his arm as he brings you into a headlock, continuing to roll you both around as his grip tightens.

Neither of you relent: your teeth bury deeper into his arm as you raise your leg and push it against his cheek. Your teeth weren't enough to break the skin, or make him bleed, but it would definitely leave a mark. "Stop biting me!"
Your voice was muffled. "Get off me then!"
"You wanted to spar, so 'ere we are!"
"This doesn't count!"

Nami could only watch both of you with a smile across her face at the top of the stairs, finding both of you amusing.

Yeah, this was going to be quite the adventure for everyone.

Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Luffy and [Y/N]'s Wanted Posters!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Loguetown Arc

For some, travelling across the seas, becoming a pirate was due to the adventure itself. But, for others, it was for money, or you intended to find someone. Everyone had a dream they wanted to fulfil anyway possible, and whether or not they embarked on such a journey with others or not was entirely up to them. Perhaps it was just more fun that way to have a pirate crew, and travel across the seas with friends. Even so, whether the blood of the fallen would stain their hands is a question in itself. Would it be certain someone may die?

The bird salutes before opening its wings and flying off into the sky. Usopp was mixing some vials together, with his goggles on behind Nami. He focused, sweat rolling down his face as he carefully tipped some liquid into another vial. "What's the big deal? It's just a paper or two."
"Not when you're buying it everyday!"
"There's no need for you to save up money to buy your village back from Arlong now, you know." He turns around, holding a glass full of something. "Or to be so obsessive about money."

It filled the young woman with a sense of guilt.

How your black bra was a little more on show, and she was almost frozen as she watched a roll of sweat roll down in-between your breasts. She would be lying if she didn't say she had been looking at your chest from time-to-time, along with the fact your shorts outlined your curves a little more, how your shorts were rolled down slightly over your rolls. Still, Nami's trailed a little downwards, casting a glance towards your thighs which pressed together with each moment, gulping a little as sweat rolled down in-between your thighs and she could just imagine how soft and plump they felt.

She forced herself to look away, her entire face blossomed with a dark red blush. Even the tips of her ears burned bright red.

Nami had known, for a long time in fact, she was a lesbian. She had never quite found herself attracted to men, and had never liked the idea of being in a relationship with them. Just the thought of men (romantically, of course. She didn't hate them), was bleh. Women on the other hand? Amazing, Wonderful, Beautiful, Strong...she could go on. Yep, women were incredibly attractive and she saw herself being in a relationship with a woman.

"C'mon! Just one!"
"No!" Sanji stands before the tangerine tree with his arms crossed against his chest. "This is Nami-san's tangerine orchard! I won't let anyone lay a finger on it-" He cast a glance towards your sweating body. He almost combusts on the spot from the splendid sight: his face burns bright red and he has to raise his hand to his nose in order to stop a nose bleed. Still, a few droplets of red manage to stain his hand, and drip through.

There was too much going on for you to handle on the top deck. As a sigh erupts from your lips, you start to walk downstairs and smile as you hear Zoro's comment. "Ol' Sanji's letting himself be used..."

In no time at all, Nami has her beach seat, with a white and green umbrella attached to it, out and sits down on it, with the newspaper completely covering her face, her leg crossed over the other. You go inside to put the weight down somewhere before coming outside and headed towards Zoro. He has his arms behind his head. You sit down cross-legged beside him, laughing a little at how relaxed he became. He slept so much compared to the average person.

"Yeah, but he does seem to like that," You muse a little, snorting as he turns his head a little. Being on the ship made you feel immensely calm for some reason, as though nothing bad could happen. "Still up for sparring, Zoro?"
He smirks. "Yeah, I won't go easy on you, [Y/N]." You shrug your shoulders.
"Don't expect you to."

The number at the bottom of the paper reads: 650,000,000 Berries. But, it only says "Alive."

Nami slowly raises her head, her eyes wide. She can't even form a sentence as she scrunches up the bounty in her hand, more focused on you then Luffy who grabs hold of the bounty from her hand and pulls it down in front of him, trying to flatten it as much as possible.

He freezes in shock before his eyes start to sparkle. He looks between you and the Bounty, his smile wide in awe. Usopp furrows his eyebrow in confusion, sharing a look with Sanji who shrugs his shoulders. "Wow!~ You're worth 650,000,000 Berries, [Y/N]?!! That's so cool!" Everyone suddenly freezes at the mention of the Bounty, their eyes blinking a few times before they all turned towards you with a blank look. Well, before it all goes to sh*t.

"650,000,000 BERRIES?!"
"...JUST HOW STRONG ARE YOU?!"
"TERRIFYING!" Sanji goes inside to prepare food for everyone.

You blankly stare between them all before a ship passed by. Your eyes flicker to the ship, which has "Marine" written in blue paint along it and you immediately run towards the side of the ship, wrapping your hands around the railing. Familiar pink hair flutters in the wind on the ship. f*ck. It's Fullbody. Luffy situates himself not too far away from you, crossing his legs over the edge. The ship suddenly turns back around and heads towards the Going Merry.
"Do you think some pirates attacked it? That warship is scrapped." They were right to think like that. The ship itself had numerous holes and scratches covered by brown wood messily placed, with cracks forming across the entire ship.

"It's not nice of the Navy to toss its scrapped ships into the ocean..."
Fullbody slams his foot against the side of the ship. "This is not a scrapped ship! Do you guys got knotholes for eyes?! Have you forgotten what Iron Fist Fullbody looks like?!"
Luffy points at Fullbody in recognition. "Oh! You're that navy guy from sometime! Are you stranded? Want us to help you?" You snort, leaning forward so your chest and arms rests against the railing.

Fullbody clenches his fist, his eyes blood shot as sweat rolls down his face. "Quit fooling around! Our meeting here spells the end of your luck!" He suddenly takes out Luffy's bounty from nowhere, alongside your own. "Monkey D. Luffy! Reaper! You're both under arrest! You don't deserve to even be affiliated with the Marines!" You press your hand against your cheek, scowling. He had no right to judge when he was such an arrogant piece of-

Best not to be affected by it. "Yeah! That's a good picture of me, huh?!"
More sweat rolls down Fullbody's face. "It says, "Dead or alive"...Aim the turret!" One of the Marines aims one of the cannons towards the ship.
"They're aiming right at us! This is bad!" Zoro starts to get up and picks up his sword. With a smile smile, you get off of the railing and stuff your hands into your pockets, awaiting for the cannon to fire.

Of course this would happen to the Straw Hats. Everything always happens to the Straw Hats.

Still, it sent a thrill through your system. The thrill of battle made itself known and it started to ignite and grow: the only way to help this desire was to go through with it. It seemed to be the only way.

"You don't mind if I take this one, do you?" You ask, a grin spreading across your lips. Before Luffy could respond, Usopp yanks him away by his shoulder. You sweat drop, snorting to yourself as you watch them both squabble. Zoro just crosses his arms against his chest, watching them with a furrowed eyebrow. Sometimes, it was as though they both shared a single brain cell.

The Marine suddenly fires the cannon, sending the scent of sulphur into the air as smoke and fire mixed together. You flinch from the smell of sulphur- it was unpleasant as it somehow infiltrated your taste buds through your nose and it began to burn. The cannon ball flew towards you. You slowly removed your hand from your pocket, and bring it back a little, closing one eye. In one quick movement, as Luffy watched in awe, you threw your fist forward and it slammed against the cannon ball. On impact, it starts to crack along the iron, forming off of each crack like a smaller vein until...

it shattered into multiple, smaller fragments. You wave your hand in the air, sticking out your tongue at the unpleasant smell and feeling of dust on your fist. Usopp's mouth gapes open in shock, and Zoro and Luffy stare in awe at the sight as you wipe the dust onto your shorts. Well, the thrill for battle was still present. "Awesome!"
Fullbody begins to shake. "That's impossible!"
You shrug your shoulders. "Shouldn't bother people when they're trying to relax."

"There's plenty more where that came from! Fire!" He raises his fist into the air and sweat rolls down his face.
"Huh, this is bad!"
"It is!" But, as the cannon fires, it explodes, sending smoke into the air and completely covers the ship in a thick, grey cloud. As the smoke clears it shows the Marines to be covered completely in dust and ash.

"Yeah...definitely," You say, as the ship slams against the side of the ship. Fullbody slams his foot against the railing, his expression morphing into anger. You, on the other hand, are completely unfazed. You place both of your hands onto your hips.
"See? There were cracks in the cannon," Luffy says.
"Yeah, that's definitely bad."
"Instead of being on the offensive, it seems like friendly fire," Zoro said, with his arms crossed against his chest still.

"You damn brats! Don't you dare mock the power of a former Navy HQ Lieutenant! We'll just have to fight you hand-to-hand!" He jumps and lands on the ship. His men are reluctant to move until he calls them to follow his example. "Your head is mine!" He props his fist back and slams it into your face. You barely even flinch as his fist made contact. It was obvious, by the new small, gaping wound across your cheek he had hit you, but other than that, by the way you stood with a smirk across your face didn't show that. Black and red blood dripped down the scratch, and he watches as it slides down your cheek and falls onto the ground beneath your feet. He flinches as his eyes trail upwards and catch your eyes swirling with darkness and malicious intent.

Usopp squawks from the sight itself, whilst a feeling of intense anger bubbles in Zoro's chest. He raises his hand and clenches his shirt at his chest, harshly gripping it.

"Aw, you tried!~"The dark tone sent a streak of fear down everyone's spine."And now, you get theconsequences!~" Before he can react to it fully, you slam your head against his. The sensation feels as hard as iron as he feels himself losing balance and falling down against the railing, his head reddened and bleeding. In a few moments, he watches as his men fly back onto their ship. As he turns his head, he freezes as he sees hisfavourite chef holding a pan, with a cigarette resting between his teeth and gripping your shoulder, bringing you flush against him.

"'Tis just a scratch!" You beam, your fangs widening in a grin. "I'm fine, San."
"C'mon, you guys! Keep it down! Honestly! I can't even relax and read a newspaper here!"
"Nami-san! I'm finished preparing your meal!"
"Ooh! I'm starving! Let's eat! Food! Food!"

You snort, managing to get away from the blond chef to get a small plaster for yourself and press it against your cheek.

Everything was always fun with the Straw Hats. You didn't regret it one bit.

Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Loguetown

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Loguetown Arc

The Straw Hats stood before the massive 'Loguetown' sign, taking in awe of how massive it was. It was quite busy itself, as a different range of shops and buildings were on either side of the gang, trapping them between the white, windowed buildings. Luffy gaped at the massive sign in awe, holding his hat between his fingers. Everyone else had similar expressions: the sight of a new town filled them all with a sense of excitement.

All of them would definitely run off in different directions to explore what they wanted to see. You crossed your arms against your chest: both swords pressed against your sides, whilst your money was tucked inside of your pocket inside of a small, brown bag. There was a need for new clothes (since you had worn the same things for so long and tended to sleep in your vest and shorts) and possibly, you could search for a new sword. Or gather the materials to make one yourself and fix your mask. There was a realm of possibilities.

"Alright! I'm gonna go get equipment for our upcoming great adventure!" Usopp spoke enthusiastically.
"Looks like I can get some good ingredients here." Sanji's cheeks flushed red. "Good women, too." That man had a one track mind sometimes. Couldn't blame him for wanting to see and talk to beautiful women, but there was a time and place.

Biting the inside of your mouth at the thought in your mind, you step towards Nami and tap her on the shoulder. She turns her head towards you, a smile on her face as she looks at you in confusion. "Think you could help me pick out some clothes? I don't really have any..."
Nami's smile widened. "Of course! Us girls can have a shopping trip!" Both the idea of spending time with you and seeing you in numerous different outfits made her heart beat faster against her chest, as though you had her heart wrapped around your finger.

"Alright! I'm gonna check out the execution platform!"
"Huh?" The young Pirate soon ran off down the street, passing by many strangers as he went. Everyone watched as he went, not entirely surprised by his excitement. Still, he never really thought ahead, now did he? It was as though his brain was filled full of 'Adventure', 'King of the Pirates', and other things along those lines. But common sense? He didn't possess that.

"Hey, wait! We still haven't decided where to meet up yet!" Still, he continued running down the street, not caring for anyone's stares on his back. You exchange looks with Nami before you both burst into a fit of laughter. Zoro stares at you both blankly, huffing to himself.
Nami admitted, sliding her hand onto her hip, "I never saw you as the type of person to want to go shopping." You raise your hand and comb it through your locks nervously, twisting it around your finger, ignoring the stares from the three men of the group.

"I just...need to get some new clothes..." You look away, your cheeks burning bright red. "Plus, I kinda need someone else's opinion on what I may suit...I tended to wear what my father wanted me to."
Zoro crossed his hands against his chest, his eyebrow furrowed in confusion. He exchanged looks with Sanji and Usopp, a look of worry and confusion across their faces. Nami sent you a worried look, parting her lips to say something but nothing escaped from her lips.

Without noticing the looks they were sending you, you simply waved at them and started to head down the path toward the clothes shop. Silence befell the rest of the crew for a little bit, before Usopp spoke. They all watched in silence as you continued to walk, your shoe-less feet pressing against the stone path and ignoring the slight pain in your feet, or the skin tearing off. "Is anyone else...worried? It's not just me who thinks that was weird, right?"

"No, that was odd," Zoro responded. His chest twisted unpleasantly at the thought of your father. Whenever you spoke of him there was always an undying darkness and defence lacing your tone, as though you were careful not to admit too much encase he was near. No one should react so on edge if they spoke of a parent: but, no emotion ever shone in your eyes except fear. It clung to you, it embedded, tore into your heart as a fine advocate for something else. What did he do to make you like this? It definitely wasn't anything pleasant.

If he ever met Masahiro, himself and Masahiro would have a chat.

Sanji twirled the cigarette between his fingers, before he rose it to his lips and took in a sharp inhale. Smoke swirled from the blazing, red end. His eyes narrowed and focused on the distance, the look on his face surprisingly serious. Masahiro left a sour taste on his tongue the more he remembered what the old-fashioned marine was like. An unpleasant man led by blood-lust and power in order to scare anyone into submission. "Not my place to say what the bastard did, but he sure left scars."

"What do you mean by that?"
Sanji didn't respond for a moment. He placed his cigarette in-between his lips. "Me and [Y/N] met once when we were kids. We were friends. I could easily see how tired she whenever she came back from 'training'. If you could call it that. Often came back with plenty of bruises and cracked ribs. He caused that scar across her face. If we ever met Masahiro I would beat manners into him."
"For once I agree with you." Zoro smirked. Nami shared a look with Usopp, having her own smile across her face and a malicious glint in her eye. Looks like they all agreed on something: they would become the 'Protect [Y/N] Squad'.

"While you boys decide what you're doing, I'm gonna try to have some fun with [Y/N]." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'll see if I can learn anything else."
"Don' force it." Zoro said, and everyone turned their heads towards him in surprise. He raised his head and his cheeks flushed red. "What?"
"Nothing, you just made a good point for once."
"Shut up!"

The Boutique had an array of different clothes, from casual, to sporty and those which outlined curves. After each outfit the red head tried on, the man who owned the boutique seemed to go into a state of applause as she opened the curtains and revealed herself in each one. A smile spread across your lips; Nami was a very beautiful woman, and she definitely suited everything she tried on.

Nami bought a few of the items themselves, and watched at the counter as the owner folded the clothes and gently placed them inside of the bag. She leaned against the desk with her back arched, and her arms rested underneath her chest. You wandered over towards a bunch of clothes in your size and started to lift them from the clothes rack, narrowing your eyes at it. It was a red, low-cut dress with cut along the leg to reveal one of the legs when worn. The sleeves were small, and the waist had a ribbon around the stomach, tied at the back in a bow.

You tilted your head to the side, a smile spreading across your lips enough to show off your sharp teeth. You liked it. It was so pretty. Maybe, just maybe, you could see yourself wearing this.

"Oh, what do you have there?" The question made you jump and turn around, trying to hide it behind your back. You forced a smile, feeling your cheeks flush dark red as Nami inched her face closer to yours so your noses were almost touching. A smirk spread across her lips. "Are you trying to hide something?"
You step back a little, bending backwards as she continued to lean forward with her hands on her hips. "N-No! Of course not!" Would she laugh at you? Or say something about your size? No, Nami wasn't like that.

The navigator covered the bottom of her face with her hand to try to hide the growing blush across her cheeks. You turned around, getting a better look of what you looked like from behind (which made Nami's face burn even more). You pursed your lips together, a small smile spreading across your lips. "How...do I look?"
Nami finally clapped her hands together. "Beautiful! Let's get you to try on some more." And you did. There was plenty of dresses, shirts and other outfits you tried on, including some nice dungarees. You even managed to pick out a cowboy style hat which black, with a dark grey ribbon wrapped around it, along with a waistcoat, trousers, and a bunch of other clothes. Oh, and of course don't forget about two pairs of steel-healed boots.

Currently, you wore the boots along with the hat, placing the string underneath your chin to secure it on your head. Looks like you found something worth keeping, along with the necklace around your neck.

Looks like Nami didn't want to ruin your good mood with asking about your father.

After your shopping trip with Nami, you decided to go look elsewhere for someone else to bother. Nami had found Usopp, so maybe you could find Sanji or Zoro to annoy. You walked down the street with your hands stuffed in your pockets, your bags wrapped around your arm as your eyes trailing over the streets before you froze. Your eyes narrowed upon seeing the familiar grey-haired man with three massive cigarettes resting in his mouth whilst smoke drifted through the air. Damn, Smoker was here. He likely had heard about your Bounty and the fact you were no longer a Marine.

Just your luck.

Still, the man was hot whether he was your enemy or not. You raised one of your hands and wrapped your fingers around your hat, pulling it down over your eyes. Your footsteps echoed against the stone path as you continued to step forward, trying to keep your head low as you passed him. Your heart slammed against your chest erratically, your cheeks a fierce red. Smoker looked from side-to-side, searching for any sign of Straw Hat, and the Reaper.

Hopefully your hat would be enough to not be found out by the man. And when you two had met, your voice had been deeper.

One foot after the other, you take a slight glance towards Smoker, and one foot goes in front of the other, prompting you to fall forward. Before you could fall over, someone wraps their arms around your waist and pulls you up effortlessly. They interlock their fingers with your own, stroking their fingers against yours, as they secured the bags in your hand. The deep voice of Smoker fanned against your neck, "Are you alright? Good thin' I was here to catch ya." Your cheeks burned bright red as he steadied you back onto your feet, his arm still around your waist.

"Y-Yeah...thank you for that. I, uh...wasn't looking where I was going."
"You should be careful, there's some Pirates around 'ere somewhere." He looked off to the side, puffing at the cigarettes dangling from his mouth.
"I'll keep that mind..." You trail off. A smile spreads across your face and you bow forward, holding onto your hat. "Thank you again!" Without another word, he smiles slightly as you run off down the street.

It was nice to see him again.

The place where the King of the Pirates had been executed was a tall, wooden platform, with stairs no longer leading up to it. It became an iconic, famous moment in history, and place many chose to visit. Luffy, for one, wanted to see it for himself. After all, the excitement rising in his chest from even seeing such a spectacle was enough to raise his morale, and hope of becoming the next King of the Pirates.

"Luffy!"

The Straw Hat turned around to see you running towards him with your hand waving towards him. The smile across his face widened and he started to laugh as you wrapped your arms around his neck and brought him closer. He rubbed his cheek against yours, wrapping his arms around your waist as you both laughed. His cheeks were bright red, as were your own.

Everyone was staring in your direction, their eyes narrowed and were a little judgemental.

Luffy rubs his nose against yours, the blush against his cheeks darkening. He couldn't quite place what this emotion in his chest was. He didn't understand it, but it at least didn't feel bad. It burned across his entire chest, as though he was ravenous, and needed your touch. From just touching his nose with your own, or if he slept in your lap, he just wanted more. That's when it became more vibrant, more explosive. It tainted his entire being: his laughs gurgled in his throat, erupting each time your skin pressed against his or when you were close to him and showed him affection.

It was stifling, it was strong. But, it was warm. As though he longed for this to be expressed even if he didn't fully understand it.

Your kind, warm voice was enough to stir butterflies in his stomach (or had he just not eaten enough??), "If I were to be executed, I would want it to be here. There's so much history that marks the beginning of the pirate age." And you knew a lot about the pirate age! What wasn't there to like?! He beamed, his smile widening across his face, as he followed where you were staring: it was a monument which showed the start of an era, but the end of Gol D Roger's life.

"Let's see the view the King of the Pirates saw before he died!" He wrapped his arm around your waist, lifting you up and placing you onto his back-prompting you to wrap his arms around his waist as he started to climb up the metal structure. Everyone watched in surprise as he nearly fell backwards before you grabbed onto the metal, gripping onto it until he secured himself around.
"Want me to get off, Luff? I must be too heavy for you to manage!"
"Huh? No, you're fine!"

"Hey!" You both blinked in confusion before turning towards the voice. f*ck, it was Smoker. He had his hands on his hips, with his chest revealed to show off his abs, with cigars attached to his jacket. Handy. "Hey, boy!"
"What do you want? I'm busy right now!"
"Are you the guy with the second highest bounty in the East Blue?"
"I'm Luffy. Do you need something?" You snorted into his vest. He was just too oblivious sometimes.

"I'm Captain Smoker of the Navy. I'm in charge of Loguetown. You're under arrest." Luffy turned his head towards him, his smile soon turning into a frown. "Huh? Arrest? Forget it! I'm about to go into the Grand Line and be King of the Pirates!" You slide your bags into his hands, which he looks to you in confusion. With a smirk across your lips, you fall down backwards. Luffy's eyes widen in surprise and he screeches in fear before you land on both feet. Smoke spirals everywhere where you landed, as cracks started to form along the ground. You hold your hat down over your eyes as you turn around and the smoke disappears.

"I have to agree, Luffy isn't going to get arrested here."
"I refuse to get arrested in a place like this!"
"Then you'll have to beat me first. You don't get into the Grand Line unless you can beat me." The older man cracks his knuckles. "That's the rule of this town." A bit of a strange rule. "That's assuming you're brave enough to fight me, of course."
"I can't get into the Grand Line unless I beat you? Then, I'll beat you!" He always had to start a fight everywhere he went, didn't he? Still, he was a lovable idiot you couldn't even be angry with.

"Hey, hey! [Y/N]!" Well, your cover was blown. You wiped your hand across your face in annoyance, as Smoker soon realised who you were. His cheeks flushed a little and he was starting to grit his teeth. In the end you turned around, sliding your hands into your pockets as you narrowed your eyes at your Captain. Luffy grins, picking up the red dress you had in one of the bags. "This is pretty! Is this yours? Or are you holding it for Nami?"
"It's mine, Luff." One reason you didn't ever punch the Captain: he was cute, and what would be the point? He didn't ever mean to do anything maliciously, he was just a bit...of an idiot.

Smoker furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but before he could respond, Luffy was having trouble unwinding his legs from around the metal structure. Both of you turned to face Luffy. He dropped the bags but you managed to catch them in time, before he finally uncoiled himself and threw his fist towards Smoker. "Gum-Gum Pistol!" Let the fight begin. Smoker jumped out of the way, and Luffy soon landed where he had punched, smoke and debris falling around him. Then, out of nowhere, Smoker slams his fist into Luffy's face, sending him backwards before kicking him into the air.

Luffy landed against the metal grid, goes to slam his fist into Smoker but is soon punched in the face by the older man and was thrown to the top of the execution platform and slammed against the grid until he collapsed on the floor. You placed your bags down on the floor, and slowly crouched down, poking your finger into Luffy's back. Smoker hovered over you both, his eyes narrowed. "You, King of the Pirates? Don't make me laugh! You can't even enter the Grand Line!" Luffy pressed his palms against the floor and started to force himself to stand, hovering over the floor. "There's no point in getting back up."

Luffy finally stood back up, and turned toward Smoker with a grin. You stood back up, stuffing your hands into your pockets. "There's no way to know that unless I try! Here goes! Gum-Gum Whip!" His foot extended backwards and flew towards Smoker. He dodged, and Luffy's leg wrapped around the water fountain. "U-Uh oh!" You slap your hand against your face, and wipe it down, your eyebrows furrowed as you watched him get thrown into the air. Smoker watched as he disappeared. "What's with that boy?"

"Obliviousness, he's infected with it," You muse, rubbing your eye with your hand before picking up your bags and sliding them down your arm. "I'm going to find him-" Smoker takes one step sideways and stands in your way, crossing his arms against his chest, with his eyes narrowing onto your figure. Nervously, you watched as his shadow draped over your body, and turned your head to meet his eyes, pressing down your hat over your eyes with your hand. "Uh...do you mind? I don't want to fight you, Smoker."
"I don't want to fight you,Reaper,"His tone had an edge and coldness to it. "But you are the highest Bounty on the East Blue, above that Straw Hat."

Smoker snarled to himself. He had never liked that man. He was a well respected figure, and not everyone knew of his violent disposition towards his daughter. It was more than just a violent disposition, however. He was manipulative, abusive and a downright psychopath.

"I won't tell Masahiro you were here," Smoker huffed, picking up one of his cigarettes from his mouth. He inhaled a little of the smoke, and exhaled it from his nostrils. An expression of surprise spreads across your face as you lift up your head to stare at him. His cheeks dust with a blush. He simply looks off to the side, ignoring your intense stare as his ears flush red. He wasn't even expecting the two of you to have a conversation right now (nor was anyone else, since they were staring at him in confusion) but he couldn't help himself. "Do you remember when you were first brought to the Marine base?"
"Yeah?" You asked in confusion.
"Did your father cause your cracked ribs?"

A scoff erupted from you before you could stop yourself. "Is now the time to discuss that? It was six years ago."
"But he didn't stop, did he?" You froze, your grip around your hat tightening.
"Please, just drop it." There it was, the weak plea. "I just want to put down my guard, for even a moment."

Footsteps crunched against the stone ground from each step, one foot after the other. Both hands were stuffed into your pockets, your bags wrapped around your arms. Metal traced across your flesh as you tried to grab hold of your lighter. Your other hand wrapped around one of the cigarettes in the plastic box. A grunt escaped you as the cigarette fell deeper inside of your pocket, the tip of your finger barely skimming it.

"Bastard," You muttered to yourself, stepping forward without taking a glance to the street before you. Your hand hooked around the cigarette and metal lighter, taking them out of your pockets. Still, without glancing in front of yourself, you manage to bump into someone. Your chest pressed against their back, and you pressed your hands against his back- still holding the single cigarette and lighter- to steady yourself. The man turned his head around to face you, his golden earring twinkling in the light.

It was Zoro. His cheeks flushed bright red noticing it was you. "Oh, [Y/N]? Where have you been? Not shopping with Nami anymore?"
"Oh, Zoro! No, we did for a little bit but not for long. Did you manage to get a new sword?" The smile across his face widened. The both of you started to walk down the path. He watched you as you lit the end of the cigarette and placed it in-between your lips.
"Yeah, didn' even charge me for it."

Smoke infiltrates your mouth, leaving a smoky sensation to lick across your taste buds. You exhaled smoke from your nostrils. "Lucky you. Maybe it's a sword that could kill you. Have you seen Luff? He kinda flew through the air earlier."
Zoro furrowed his eyebrow. "No? Is he up to something again?" Another sharp inhale of your cigarette. Smoking was something you did tend to do when you were a little stressed, Zoro noted.
"Been play fighting with the local Marine," You mused, as you both sat down at the stairs leading down to somewhere else. Zoro sat closer to you- his face flushing a little darker as you rested your leg on top of his own.

"So, what is this cursed sword you got?"
His eyes widened and he turned his head towards you. "Huh? How did you know?"
"You kinda attract danger. So lemme see!" You beamed, snuffing out your cigarette against the step. Bright red embers started to flutter in the breeze and flow around in the air. You opened your mouth and threw the cigarette inside. You swallowed it, ignoring the burning tickling at your throat and tongue. Zoro stared at you blankly.

Laughing a little to himself, he picked up his sword from his side and unsheathed it, showing off the unusual markings: it was like a fire contained within the blade, crackling violently. Your eyes widened at the sword and you couldn't help yourself from leaning more forward so half of your body was perched on his lap. Your eyes crinkled with slight excitement. The swordsman froze, his entire face burned bright red. He couldn't ignore the fact he could feel your breasts pressed against his leg, or the way your hand wrapped around his thigh, gripping onto it to stay in the same position. As you gripped a little harder, his ears flushed dark red, unable to form a sentence.

"Didn't think I would see this beauty again. Looks like my old sword is in good hands now."
"Wait...this wasyours?""Yeah, it was the sword my mother sold when I was younger," You were pretty much just sat in his lap now, pressing your back against his chest as you simply rested yourself against him, your hand still wrapped around his thigh. You were too focused on the sword to even fully realise what you were doing. He couldn't focus properly: your plump thighs rested against his legs and the grip you had around his thigh was tightening. He didn't like the way his face and ears burned bright red or the way his thoughts wandered off to unsavoury things: he wandered how they would feel if he gripped your thighs in his hands, or even traced his hands over your curves and kissed along your neck, hearing you say his name-

Jeez. He was down bad. Hadn't you called him 'hot' before? Sometimes you could be so blunt then be oblivious to just about everything else.

"Maybe she sold it due to the curse aspect, and thought it was best, as a young child, that I should not possess a cursed sword. Know what I mean?"
"O-Oh...yeah." He hadn't even heard what you had said, he was too focused on...other things. The most important thing in his life had been training to become the best swordsman, how he became a bounty hunter to help with that. After meeting Luffy, it just heightened his desires, his dreams. When you two had met, he was intrigued, but also wary. You had been a Marine during this time, actively killing Pirates. But now? His chest felt heavy, inflamed. As though he would be set ablaze if he touched you for even a moment. His heart beat often slammed against his chest, the words in his throat slowly dying. He hadn't felt this way...was it a simple crush? Or was it stronger than that?

Time would tell.

"Oh! That's a cool sword you have!" Luffy grinned in front of you both. He had his arms against his waist, leaned forward so your noses were almost touching. "Have you been with Zoro this entire time, [Y/N]?"
"No. I talked to Smoker for a bit, then started to wander. Where the bloody hell have you been?!"
"I fell near to one of the fountains." He grinned, whilst you puffed out your cheeks in annoyance. "Why are you in Zoro's lap?"
"Huh?" You looked down and your cheeks flushed bright red from the realisation. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Zoro. I didn't...notice." You climbed from his lap and plopped yourself down beside him.

"What're you doing here, Zoro?"
"No, what're you doing here?"
"Me?" Luffy scratched his nose. "I'm lost."
Zoro was taken aback. The swordsman sweat dropped. "Why're you acting co*cky about that?!" You propped up your hand to rest your chin on top of, your eyebrow furrowing as a smile spread across your lips in amusem*nt. These two were just something else entirely.

Shouting from several people caused you all to turn towards the source of the noise. Several people were stood around in a circle around a man with a cow-boy style hat, with a cream coloured tunic covering his entire body. They go to shoot at the older man, but, he raises both of his guns and three out of four of the men fall down to the ground, as though his attack was as fast as the speed of light. The boy staggered backwards before collapsing onto the floor, with sweat rolling down his face. The man turned around, stepping towards him to create a shadow over the boy. He picked up a cigarette hidden in his jacket and snapped it to the side between his fingers. "Run on home and have your mama bake you a cake, kiddo." The boy soon runs off as the man watches him leave.

You narrowed your eyes in slight annoyance from the comment. It was a little sexist, if anything.

"That old guy's cool!" Luffy shouted, throwing his arms up and down.
"I think that man might be...Daddy the Parent." You slowly turned to face him with your hands propped up so your chin rested against it. Slowly, you look to and from Zoro and the older man with a sense of confusion. "Is...that his actual name?"
"Yeah?" Zoro spoke. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"...No reason." Not like you were the best with names yourself, since your name in the Marines was named after your clan. It's just...Daddy the Parent? No judgement, but also there was immediate judgement on your end.

At least you sounded a little intimidating.

Ships were docked beside the marketplace where different variations of fish were being sold for a range of prices since they had been captured from different parts of the sea. A lot of people were bringing fish from the ships to put on the various stalls, perfect for any seafood dish. It was very likely everyone's favourite cook was going to be here to find a fish to perfect in his next dish. It was just finding him that may be the problem.

Your right hand wrapped around the hat on your head, and bowed it down slightly to cover over your eyes, your boots clicking against the ground after each step. "If I were a blond-haired cook, where would I be?" The fish rested in wooden boxes with clear ice underneath their bodies, their eyes left unblinking and cold. You skimmed over each fish, barely missing the red fish hooked above from slamming against your head. One step after the other to the side and you crashed into the blond-haired chef. He caught you by the waist, wrapping his arm around you tightly. He stared right into your eyes, a smile widening across his lips as a red blush burned across his cheeks.

"[Y/N]-chan! What a lovely surprise!" Sanji looks you up and down, taking note of the new hat and boots on your feet. "I see you have already finished shopping with Nami. What did you buy? Something to bring out your splendid figure?"
You pressed your hand against his cheek as heart-shaped smoke began to float upwards. "Not changed for a moment..." You trail off, smiling to yourself. "Then again, you are still the sweetheart from back then."

His cheeks burn a darker shade of red. His lips part to say something but nothing can escape. You send him a kind smile, and slip your arm through his, turning him a little around and head towards the next stall. He is unable to say anything, but his eyes trail over your joyous expression. This was new for you. The excitement of the stalls and the marketplace, taking a break from fighting and blood-shed. You deserved it. For eighteen years, your life had been non-stop fighting. No space for a childhood, or excitement. Even on your mother's ship you had to fight and protect everyone else.

Now? You at least could relax, and put down your guard.

"Have I changed much since then?" You ask, your eyes focusing on the varieties of fish instead of Sanji. "Well, maybe I became more violent, and insecure. Blood-thirsty. I used to kill Pirates...I'm a disappointment to my mother's legacy. And I don't know how to fix my own mask!" Tears built up in your eyes. A few managed to roll down your face and stain your cheeks, before falling onto the ground beneath your feet. You pulled down your hat with one hand to try to hide the tears but Sanji had already seen them. This wasn't the first time. Sanji snuffed out his cigarette, dropping it to the ground and stamping it with the bottom of his shoe.

He was careful, gentle even as he wrapped his arms around your back, and head, pressing you against his chest. He didn't move a muscle, and glared at anyone who stared at you weirdly as they passed. Sanji softly stroked the top of your head, twisting your locks around his fingers as he gripped your waist a little tighter. He could feel his jacket and his shirt starting to dampen but he paid it no mind. All he cared about was you. He ignored his cheeks flushing a darker shade as he considered how warm you were against him, how he couldn't help but think how normal this felt.

"I would say you have changed, at least a little," Sanji began, feeling the nervousness (oddly enough) bubble in his chest. "But, you are still the kindest person I know, [Y/N]-chan. You care about everyone, and make us all smile. You may have a sad*stic streak, but it's...cute. You aren't afraid to protect us...You have a big heart."
"..." You sniffle, wiping away your tears with your hands as you raise your head from his chest, smiling a little at the way his arms wrapped around you carefully. "I was being emotional again...sorry."
"Don't apologise for crying, [Y/N]-chan," Sanji gently said, his smile widening. "Nothing wrong with being emotional. You have every reason to be. Is something else troubling you?" He took out a single cigarette and his lighter from his pocket. He lit the end of the cigarette, watching as the end glowed red. He placed it in-between his lips.

"You could say that," You say, starting to walk past more stalls with Sanji at your side. "Just a Marine I knew reminded me of how much of a..."
"How much of a bastard your old man is?" A sharp inhale. "Do I need to kick someone's arse?"
"No. But he remembered when I came to the Marine base with my ribs cracked, and stomach torn open." Sanji suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing in anger. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying not to lose his temper but failing. You look back. "San?"
"Did you ever tell Fuji-san about what he did?" His anger was slowly, but surely rising the longer he thought about Masahiro. It left a sour taste in his mouth.

"No. I don't even know if she knew, honestly," You say. "Please could we just...talk about something else? For now at least?" He took one glance at your worried expression and sighed, taking in another inhale and exhaling through his nostrils. But, his cheeks immediately burned a deeper shade of red. For some reason, he was thinking back to when you kissed him back at Arlong Park. Even if it had been way to try to help him, the image just wouldn't disappear from his mind. He had just tried to force it down, think of something else, but now, as the pair of you were alone, it was the only thing he could think about.

"I do have something I wanted to talk about..." He trailed off, placing his cigarette between his fingers.
"What is it?" You completely turn, the straps of the bags wrapped around your wrists as you cross your arms against your chest.
"When you...kissed me back at Arlong Park..." He looked away, his blush reaching the tips of his ears. You watch him in slight amusem*nt, your own cheeks flushing a little. "Did it mean anything? Or was it just a way to heal me?"
"Well-"

Before you could respond, someone shouted from one of the ships docked. A large crowd stood around. You and Sanji exchange looks before going over to the commotion. Sanji interlocks his fingers with yours, carefully pulling you in front of himself, with one hand on your waist to make sure no one got in your way as you both stood before the very object of desire everyone had flocked to. The fish itself was grey underneath, with dark blue markings above, and light blue patterns across it. Its eyes were yellow, and had long ear-like things like an elephants, with a long, slender "trunk". It had two curved, grey tusks on either side. It was an odd fish for sure.

"H-Hold on a second! How much is it?! Sell it to me!"
"What?!" The man shouted with his hands on his hips.
"I've got money! Let me buy it! Please!"
The man waved his hand in the air. "No, you can't! This isn't for sale! It's been decided just now that this is going to be a prize. Sorry."
"A prize...?"
"That's right. The annual Cooking Championship will be starting a little later today. Cooks from all over the East Blue gather for this competition. This'll be given to the winner." It made sense.

Whoever was shown to be the best cook in the East Blue would earn a unique prize, and, whilst Sanji had been previously disinterested in the competition to begin with, now it would likely be worth it to win.

"If you really want it, you should participate. You're a cook, aren't you?"
"Y-Yeah."
The older fish monger pointed to the right, a wide smile on his face. "The registration is over there. If you're interested, go register." Two men picked up the fish on either side and started to haul it down the street, heading towards where the competition was taking place. "Hurry up or it'll close soon, young man."
"Yay, Cooking Competition! Get your arse over to registration now!"
"Right, [Y/N]-chan!"

Above the elephant bluefin tuna was a massive, red banner which read 'Cooking Championship in Loguetown'. The stage was set up so steps lead to the grand prize, as greenery rested beneath it. On the stage were different sorts of ingredients on either side of the tuna, along with cooking stations for the chefs to cook. Around the stage were dozens of people flocking around, cheering as they awaited for the Championship to begin.

The man from before held up a microphone, as his other hand pressed against the stand he was stood behind. "Now, the annual Cooking Championship festivities are about to start! We have famous cooks from around the East Blue gathered here! Who will earn the "East Blue's No.1" title and win the elephant bluefin tuna?!" You stood with your hands against your waist, and nearly jump out of your skin upon realising Usopp and Nami.

"Sanji!"
"Sanji-kun!"
Sanji started to twirl around until he stood before Nami and his face flushed bright red. "Nami-san! You came to give me your support?!"
"Not really. I was just passing by."
Usopp hands gripped around his backpack. "But why in the heck are you participating in a competition like this?"
"Oh, Usopp, I didn't see you there."
"I was the one who called out to you first!" Usopp shouted angrily. Then, the Championship began. It was obvious Sanji was very much in his element by how he cooked and beat the other challengers so effortlessly.

He won each one, and then, it was the final match and the crowd was going into an excited frenzy. It was strange, but great at the same time, to see how much Sanji had improved his skills since he had started cooking.

9 Years Ago...

"Zeff, maybe you should be a little nicer to the kid. He's trying his best," Ezume laughed from inside of the kitchen, crossing his arms against his chest. Zeff huffed at the younger man, raising his cup to his mouth and took a sip of the contents inside. Zeff had been teaching Sanji how to cook for a few days now and the results never went in his favour. Still, skills such as these took time to master.

"If I were to be soft on the kid, he wouldn't learn a thing," Zeff grunted, drinking his coffee. "Like you could say anything! You threw out [Y/N] as soon as she set fire to the entire kitchen."
"Hey, I had good reason. That child is evil sometimes."
You stood by the entrance with your arms crossed against your chest, a look of irritation flickering across your face. Oddly enough, these two got along great since they were both chefs and powerful in their own right. Food was one of the most important things to them both.

Your swords were securely pressed against your sides, the feel of metal pressing against your skin.

"I'm guessing you two are at fault for San-San's pouting?" Both men jumped out of their skin from your cold, slightly dark tone. They turned, feeling a sense of fear trail down their spines as they met her narrowed eyes. A malicious, evil aura began to manifest around you, and you looked a splitting image of Fuji. That's what frightened them the most.
"I was teaching the brat how to cook. Let's just say he didn't do well with his first dish and now he's pouting."

You furrow your brow, your aggressiveness not wavering for a moment. Ezume snorted, crossing his arms against his chest. "You aren't saying everything that happened, Zeff." Ezume turned towards you. "Let's just say he took one spoonful of Sanji's dish and spat it out. Before criticising his dish very harshly. He is still a kid, Zeff. We know he needs to learn."

Zeff huffed, before he turned his head towards you. "Tell me, kid, was Asuka ever strict in your training?"
"She was serious. She did point out mistakes that I made but she wasn't harsh. I'm going to see how he is." Without another word, you left through the kitchen, to the outside where Sanji was sitting, tucked away in the corner. His knees were pressed up against his chest and he wrapped his arms around his legs, his head tucked against his knee.

"You really are pouting," His eyes widened in surprise. He turned his head to the side, his eyes sparkling with tears. Tears stained his cheeks and rolled down his face, falling onto the deck below. His cheeks flushed bright red. "Zeff told me he's been teaching you again. I'm guessing it didn't end as well as you had hoped." You placed yourself down cross-legged beside him, leaning against his shoulder. His ears flushed as well as he raised his head to stare at you whilst you stared at the bright blue sky. "He's harsh, but...he means well."
"You always say that..."

You snort. "I have known him a little longer than you so I kinda get what he's like. You are still learning to cook so don't let it get to your head." You wrap your arm around his shoulder and press him against your side. "I'm sure you'll be a talented chef in no time."
He smiled in an effort to ignore his blush. "You think so?"
"I know so! You'll be able to, I know it."

And he did. You just couldn't help but smile at such a fond memory.

Maybe now was the time for you to wander off, again, and see where the path took you. Fun.

It was strange. The feeling of being at the centre of Loguetown, where the King of the Pirates was executed, just created a certain thrill. It left an interesting taste in your mouth: it was unique, and burned as it flickered across your tongue. Just what would it be like to get executed here? How must it have felt to stand here and gaze at the distant view of the sea as you bled to death? A morbid thought, but an interesting one all the same.

Wind caressed at your cheeks, combing through your hair and brushing against your hat as you stood up on the execution platform. Of course there were a few stares here and there but there was no point in thinking about it. You sat cross-legged on the platform, crossing your arms against your chest as the coldness continued to bite at your cheeks and redden them.

Maybe you hadn't found anyone, but the calmness and low chatter of the people beneath was enough. "Wow! So this is the scenery that the King of the Pirates saw..." Maybe not. Slowly, you raised your head and blinked your eyes at the familiar Straw Hat. He beamed down at you, his eyes sparkling with amusem*nt. "Oh [Y/N]! You're here as well!"
"Yeah...here to see the view? It's nice up here."
He hummed in agreement.

"Where did you go? Me and Zoro lost you," Luffy asked, smiling down at you with a sense of curiosity.
"Decided to go searching for Sanji," An uncomfortable feeling rose in his chest at the mention of Sanji. Maybe he was just hungry or something? "Then, I guess something just led me here. Not sure why I am attracted to this place so much." Strangely, the sense of death just intrigued you. You could almost taste it in the air that someone had died here, as though your fingers lightly caressed at their spirit as though they were still here.

All of a sudden, someone holding a microphone shouted at you both from below, "Hey, you up there. Come down right away!"
"Why?!"
"That's a special execution platform under control of the World Government!" f*ck the Government. All they had ever cared about was control: when it came to someone even the Government couldn't found to kill themselves, they of course sent out their weapon: you. Finding them was harder than killing. Who would expect a child to be a killer? To be a weapon for the Government? They didn't care for morality, only maintaining the rules and going against those who were out of their control, for even a moment.

Call it a deep hatred swirling in your chest as you forcefully gripped hold of your shirt, twisting it in your hand. You gritted your teeth.

"If you don't come down, I'll just arrest you. I'm coming up now!" Then, the officer was knocked out by a massive, spiked iron mace. The perpetrator was a young woman with long, black hair, wearing a white hat with a feather coming from it, whilst the tunic she wore had multiple hearts across it. She was definitely pretty. "Hmph! Now's not the time for small fries. I've been looking for you, Luffy. Long time no see..." The woman raised the iron mace and rested it against her shoulder, smirking at Luffy.

"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you forgot my face..." Everyone gathered around the young woman had heart-shaped eyes with blushes across their cheeks. "How beautiful..."
"She's so pretty!"
"She is a woman of unrivalled beauty!"
"Her skin looks very smooth." Ok, cannibal. Calm down.

Luffy, our wonderful, yet idiotic Captain was a little confused. Sweat rolled down his face as he tried to recognise her face but nothing seemed to come to mind. "I don't know anyone like you. Who the heck are you?"
"I'll never forget you...because you're the first man who hit me." Oh...that's romantic?

Luffy was taken aback. He stepped back in surprise. "What? I hit you?" Everyone turned towards Luffy to glare at him. You snort. How suddenly a group of people could easily be swayed was something else. They seemed to be ignoring the fact she had knocked out an officer. Oh well.
The young woman stroked at her stomach. "When your passionate fist hit me that time..." She raised her hand and stroked her face. "Oh, it felt good..."

...What?

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion to the statement itself. It was a little odd but you had heard worse.

"You guys...what's the most beautiful thing in the East Blue?" Everyone kneeled down on one knee, pointing their hands towards the pirate. "That'd be you!"
Luffy puffed out his cheeks a little. She continued, rising her hand into the air, "There's no man in this world that doesn't bow before my beauty. And I like strong men." You rest your knees on your legs, propping them up enough to be able to rest your chin against it. "I'll make you mine, Luffy."
"Shut up! No way! Who the heck are you? You still haven't figured it out yet?"

More police flocked to the scene before Alvida managed to charm them out of attacking: the fountain suddenly exploded, sending a massive fragment towards Alvida before it seemed to spring off and shatter as it made contact with the wall.
"What just happened?!"
"I'm guessing she has a Devil Fruit ability." Alvida started to converse with...suspicious looking people dressed in cloaks which hid their entire bodies from prying eyes.

"Boggy? No, Boogie? No, Behie...isn't right..." Luffy murmured to himself as he pressed his cheek against your hand, his smile widening and red flushing across his cheeks.
"Luff, he's called Biggy...wait, no..." Both of you went deep into thought, trying to grasp at this man's name. You had heard of him, even met him once when you were younger and Fuji didn't think much him except:'Heh, clown.'When they met, that's all Fuji thought. The demon had one track mind. She didn't dislike him, for one. Fuji mostly found him amusing each time they met- perhaps it was due to the fact she flirted with him.

"Oh yeah! It's Buffoon!" You burst out laughing and slammed your clenched fist against the platform.
"Buffoon?! Stop messing around! You sure haven't lost your nerve, you moron!" Buggy's eyes dilated and he was throwing an angry fit. It was amusing to watch this man lose his mind over Luffy getting his name wrong.
"I-It's Buggy the Clown!"
"Oh, it was Buggy, Luff." His eyes lit up in realisation.
"It's the Buggy Pirates!!" Everyone started to shout and run in the opposite direction.

Buggy outstretched his arm. "People! Remain flashily where you are! I'll show you how scary I am." The Buggy Pirates held guys in their hands, pointing them towards the people flocked around the execution platform. It looked as if two of the Buggy Pirates had antennas...a weird fashion choice. Before you could react, you were pushed off of the platform, and before Luffy could catch you, Cabaji threw down a stock over Luffy's head and hands. The man in question rested against it. "Wh-What's going on?"
"Long time no see, rubber man. Is Roronoa Zoro well, too?"

As you fell, you threw down your bags so they landed against the platform, and held your hat, lowing it over your eyes and you landed on both of your feet. Smoke and a few stone fragments were thrown up into the atmosphere, hiding your body completely over a layer of dust. As the smoke cleared, one of your eyes glowed through the dust, your hat lowered over your other eye. Buggy's eye twitched as he tried to work out who you were. "Why do you remind me of someone?"
"Oh, you know my mother. Fuji [L/N]." His face immediately lit bright red. "I see you do remember her. She had a lot to say about you."
"O-Oh? Like what?" He flinched at the fact he stuttered, and even his crew looked to him in confusion.

Your smirk widened. Call it your sad*stic streak. It was making its appearance once again, spiralling and burning its way through your veins, causing the illusion of numerous eyes to appear behind your body, a sense of darkness licking at the very air around you. Oh, this would be fun, really fun.

Heh.

"Why do you want to know? This is my mother we're talking about," As you spoke, the shadow behind you started to grow more and more, slowly worming its way over the tiles and over the execution platform, before resting beneath Cabaji. Might as well put down his guard. "Maybe I could..."
Buggy wouldn't admit it, but heneededto know what Fuji had said about him. His pride was something else, something he needed to keep uplifted, but when it came to that demonic woman...it was all thrown out of the window.

Or ship.

"She laughs each time she thinks of you. Maybe it's the whole clown look," You shrug. "Along with the fact she often talks about how she popped your cherry." The smirk widened even further, as Buggy's face grew a vibrant blood red, reaching the tips of his ears. Before anyone could react, the shadow beneath Cabaji's feet violently tore from the ground and wrapped around his leg, throwing him up into the air. The shadow, having the touch of mist, but somehow the solidarity to wrap around his entire body in a cocoon. Cabaji tried to fight against it but the more he tried to resist, the tighter it became.

Sweat rolled down Buggy's face at the realisation, as did the rest of his crew. He slowly tilted his head down, his eyes piercing through yours, but he stepped back in fear from the ferocious glare you were giving. One of your hands clenched against your side, completely covered in dark magic. The magic itself flew into the air, and extinguished, moving around like a flame. A demon's eyes, as they say, are one of the most terrifying things to experience. The sins of Hell burn in their eyes, clawing their way to the surface so anyone could experience the horrors of Hell.

"Something else she often said was the fact you could become something greater. Be better than who you are now,"You take one step forward, the earth shaking underneath your feet. A redness coated your eyes, trailing down your cheeks like blood."So I'm advising you not to try to do whatever you're trying to do to my Captain."Out of nowhere, Alvida threw her spiked iron mace towards you and you only just managed to dodge to the side.
You sent a glare in her direction, as Alvida smirked, pressing her spiked iron mace against her shoulder. "I wouldn't interfere if I were you. You seemed awfully cosy with Luffy. Are you two together?"

"Nope. Just two people who require affection." As you looked up, Buffy had managed to get on top of the execution platform, with his foot resting against the stock. And Cabaji was no longer in your bind- your focus had been broken by Alvida. Of course it had. Your diversion talking about your mother hadn't even worked for long. Damn. It was funny to think how many Pirates Fuji had met and befriended, despite obviously being a Pirate Captain herself. She just had a way with people. It was of no surprise she had managed to charm Buggy the Clown. He didn't seem to remember you.

8 Years Ago...

A ship had pressed against the side of the Saigai ship. The waves calmly hit against the side of the ship, blue water splashing up against the wooden sides. The bright blue sky, without any clouds in sight, allowed for the bright, yellow sun to burn down on those below. It was a moderately hot day. Fuji crossed her arms against her chest, standing before the rest of her crew. Kichi had their hands wrapped around your shoulders, pressing you against their stomach. On the opposite side of the ship was Buggy, and his entire crew.

The man in question had his hands placed on his hips, a smirk across his face. "Captain Fuji [L/N]! I made quite the flashy entrance." You had tilted the head to the side, your [e/c] eyes blinking at the clown and the rest of his weird crew. Kichi murmured to themselves, "He looks a little odd, huh?"
"Do you think that's his real nose?"
Kichi pursed their lips. You both tilted your head to the side at the same time. "Only one way to find out. Honk it."

"...Mama would kill me."
"That's why I distract Fuji, you honk his nose." Isao had been watching you two for a little bit, his cheeks puffed out slightly. He couldn't believe Kichi was trying to get you to join in on one of their plans again. This did tend to happen, since you two were as thick as thieves.

Isao scratched between his eyes and took a step towards Kichi, tapping them on the shoulder. The shorter pirate turned their head and sent a smile towards Isao. Their navigator had not had a wink of sleep in days, so this was going to annoy him more than he thought. "Ki, you better not be trying to get young [Y/N] to join your antics again." Kichi gave him a fake offended look, gasping and pressing one of their hands against their chest. "How dare you say such a thing! I would never!"

"Don't lie to me, Kichi." Kichi puffed out their cheeks. Fuji started to converse with Buggy as he stepped closer with his crew, attempting to flirt with him a little. It was obvious by the way his cheeks brightened with a blush. You forced yourself from Kichi's grip to run towards Fuji and wrapped your arms around her waist, rubbing your face against the older woman's side. Fuji stood back a little after being forced back- she regained her composure, wrapping one arm around your waist. A smile spread across her lips, and slid her other hand onto her waist.

Buggy looked between the two of you in confusion.
"[Y/N], you need to be careful when you do that. Imagine if you did that to an old lady or something."
You furrow your eyebrows. "Why would I hug a random old lady, Mama?" Buggy aggressively turned his head between the two of you, until realisationdawned on him.
"You have a kid?!"
"Yeah, this little demon here," Fuji spoke. You turn your head to the side, your eyes glowing red and glaring through Buggy's eyes. He recoiled, his face covered in sweat. "This is Buggy, [Y/N]. Another Pirate Captain."

"...Is his nose real?" Kichi burst out laughing, and even Den joined in on their laughter. Fuji was trying not to laugh herself, and Asuka couldn't help but smile.
"..." Buggy tried not to lose his temper. Truly, he was close to doing so. "What?"
"You heard her, Buggy," Fuji smirked, enough to rouse something in the man. His chest bubbled intensely and his face burned. "Is your nose real?" The look they shared was something you wouldn't understand until you were older.

"Pirate Monkey D. Luffy, the criminal, is to be flashily executed for the crime of getting me angry by becoming stuck up! Live it up flashily!" The Buggy Crew started to excitedly cheer and celebrate. If you didn't do anything soon, your Captain would be executed. You needed to do something.

Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Luffy's 'Execution', and Get Out of Loguetown!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Loguetown Arc

"This is my first time seeing an execution." Luffy remarked, not quite understandinghewas going to be executed. You tilt your head upwards, your lips parting and your eyes squinting at the sight. He just knew how to get into life or death situations, didn't he? It never seemed to occur to him that his life was on the line. The shadows started to whisper and taunt, beckoning for you to lose your temper, or lose the last moment of sanity you had. Shadow started to manifest and curl beneath your feet, slowly making its way along the execution platform as your eyes shone for just a moment.

"We're executing you."
"Huh?" Luffy took a moment to realise, and pointed to himself. "What?! Stop joking!"
"You stop joking!" They both started to squabble like children, seemingly forgetting the crowd swept out all around the execution platform. Above, grey clouds were starting to circulate around them, lightning crackling across the skies in sudden, blue flashes.

With a blank look on his face, Luffy spoke, "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please save me."
"Why would I save you, idiot?! Hmph! This is what happens when someone goes against us." You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms against your chest as the shadows continued to rise and rise until it trailed beneath the clown.

"I guess this is it for the man I had my eye on..." Alvida spoke. Buffy pointed the massive sword at Luffy, holding it just in front of the young boy whilst his foot was on top of Luffy's head, adding as much pressure as possible. "Since you have a big audience, do you wanna say something before you die?" Luffy puffed out his cheeks, and his eyebrows were furrowed in anger. He wasn't happy by his predicament. You could almost say he was pouting. "Well that's okay. Whether you wanna say something or not doesn't matter since you're gonna die."

Why's he pouting like that?

He slammed his fists against the wooden platform and his expression became serious. "I'm the man who'll be King of the Pirates!!" Everyone gaped at him in surprise, sweat rolling down their faces. Everyone made their own comments surrounding what the young boy's comments, most were confused but others believed he was crazy for even admitting such a thing.

"Well then, I guess I'll do it now...you damn piece of rubber."
"Stop the execution!" Everyone turned around to see Sanji and Zoro standing.
"Zoro! Sanji!" Luffy shouted gleefully.

Zoro held his sword in his hands, a smile across his face. "Shame on you! There's a limit to how much you can fool around, Luffy."
Sanji had his hands stuffed into his pockets, a cigarette resting in-between his lips. "If you're starting a sideshow, let me join you. What we have to do for now is drive those damn pirates away?"

"P-Pirate Hunter Zoro!" Everyone ran off in opposite directions at the sight of the men.
"Sanji! Zoro!"
"So you're here, Zoro! But you are a little too late!" Buggy started to raise the sword above his head. This caused both Zoro and Sanji to start running towards the execution platform in a sense of alarm. Alvida sent her pirate crew after them, and quite easily, they were wiped out.
"Not even Zoro can stop me now! This is the end of your captain!!"

Buggy threw down the sword.

"Lioc!"The shadows from beneath his feet erupted from the ground and coiled around him, forcefully hitting the sword from his hand and wrapping around him like a snake. The colour was a pitch black hue; it appeared much like a liquid but felt like stone weighing down on his body. Buggy coughed up a few droplets of blood and the sword was sent hurtling to the ground until it fell onto its side.

Shadows began to form beneath your feet and your body slowly was consumed by the darkness, your skin turning to nothing more than darkness as you became one: the shadow swam along the pillar like ink, trailing up and up until the darkness splurged upwards, releasing droplets of darkness as you landed perfectly on top of the execution platform, holding your hat forward with one hand, your hand on the other.

"As much as I adore anexecution, my Captain will have no part in it! Got that?!"Zoro and Sanji stopped mid sprint, a look of surprise across their faces. Zoro sighed in relief, whilst Sanji smiled, a dark blush flushing across his cheeks at the sight of you atop the execution structure. You tilt your head down to Luffy. "Are you ok, Captain?"
"Yeah! That was really cool, [Y/N]!"
You snort. You wrap your hands around the stock over Luffy's head and easily tore it in half and threw it away. Luffy stands up and dusts himself off, placing his hands onto his hips as though nothing just happened.

Rain started to pour down from the skies, falling down on everyone beneath. The rain rolled down your skin, staining your back with a sudden coldness and trailing down your shirt to the point it was starting to become more see through and show off your bra. You outstretch your hand, eyes focusing on the rain rolling down your skin and falling onto the platform beneath your feet. It felt cold and sent a shiver down your spine, oddly reminding you of something that transpired years ago.

4 years ago...

A mask adorned your face, blood dripping from the marble, drops of red falling down and staining the ground beneath your feet. Two swords were gripped in either hand and your body was stained by the blood of your enemies, the pirates. Blood stained each blade, pouring down the metal and falling, falling, falling...multiple corpses laid motionless across the ground. Limbs were torn from their body, their spines twisted grotesquely, as expressions of horror were painted across their faces.

The skies were covered by grey clouds floating across the skies, blue lightning crackling above. Rain fell down in an incessant downpour, falling and falling, landing down on those left alive below. It ran down along your back, sending a strange shiver down along your spine. Your eyes focused on the ground beneath as rain mixed with blood. Even as the coldness nipped at your skin, you took no mind in it.

Kill. That's all you knew. Kill pirates without a shred of remorse.

"[Y/N]?" The voice was familiar. Your ears pricked up at the sound; you turned your head to the side, your mask tilting slightly as blood rolled down your cheek. The mask itself was a kitsune mask, adorned with red paint, with the word 'Kill' in Japanese. Fuji stood there, her eyes widened, her expression aghast. You take a step back in surprise. "Is it truly you...? What...has he made you do? [Y/N]!"
You take another step back, the swords clinking against your sides. Fuji takes another step forward, ignoring all the rain pouring down. She outstretched both of her arms, tears started to cloud her vision.

This was the first time you had seen her cry. Maybe when you were born, she had cried. But...you had never seen her cry before. The tears rolled down her face, her cheeks and fell onto her outstretched arms. "P-Please...[Y/N]...what did he do? What...did he do?"
"..."

You couldn't say a thing, nor did you want to.

Life had not always agreed with you, after all.

"We should probably get out of here," You say, poking Luffy's shoulder. Without another word, you jumped down onto the ground and grabbed hold of the bags into your hand. Luffy soon followed. You both ran towards Sanji and Zoro, and Luffy moved towards them like a crab. You turn your head towards him in confusion, your eyebrows furrowing at the sight of him. This was the person who intended to become King of the Pirates. "Let's get out of this town already! Another trouble seems to be brewing."
You pointed at Luffy. "Is it due to the fact he's walking like a crab?"

"No!"
The Marines started to encircle all of the pirates, swarming through each entrance to attack them whilst they were down. Buggy was still entrapped within the shadow coiling around him so it would not be hard to capture him. You tilt your head to the side, your smile disappearing immediately. "Maybe it's due to the Marines swarming us. Hey, take this." You place the bags into Sanji's arms. His eyes widen slightly at the slight glance of a red dress, and he looks towards you with a blush across his cheeks. "Whilst they're preoccupied with the Marines, run."
"But why did you pass me your bags, [Y/N]-chan?"

A smirk spreads across your lips, causing everyone's cheeks to flush brightly, and the sight of your bra causes their faces to burn darker. They all shared looks, but didn't say anything. "To do this!" Before Luffy can react, you throw him over your shoulder with your hand resting against his butt. Luffy felt a certain burst of butterflies erupting through his stomach (which he didn't understand) at the feel of your hand against his butt. His cheeks flushed bright red and the realisation of how close you were was settling in. Despite the coldness soaking your back and shoulders, he could feel a sense of warmth whenever you were near, how it was so intoxicating he wanted to be the only one to soak in it. He wanted to be greedy.

"Let's go!" You start to run off in the opposite direction (as Luffy lets out words of disagreement as he wanted to fight) Zoro and Sanji watched after the both of you. "I wish [Y/N]-chan would carry me like that."
Zoro tilts his head towards him, a frown spreading across his lips. "Perv."
Sanji scowled at the swordsman. "As if you weren't thinking the same thing! I see how you look at [Y/N]-chan like a predator!" Zoro's face flushed a dark shade of red and he aggressively turns his head around.

"What?! N-No I do not!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't, Pervy Cook!"

It doesn't take long for you to realise you can't hear the footsteps of those two. "[Y/N]! Why are we running away?"
"If you get captured, we won't be able to enter the Grand Line!"
"Oh! Sanji and Zoro aren't following!"

You stop, your eyes narrowed in annoyance and anger as you turn around."Can you both get your arses into gear and run?! Or I will make you myself!"You shout with blazon, glowing eyes. Both men jumped in fear (shuddering where they stood) and soon obeyed, closely following after you.
"[Y/N]-chan is so hot when she's mad!" His eyes morphed into hears and a bright red blush flushed across his cheeks. Zoro grumbled in response but he didn't say anything. His cheeks were a vibrant red. He definitely agreed, albeit silently.

More Marines appear but Sanji, Zoro and you deal with them without problem and continue to run.

"[Y/N]! I can walk!"
"I don't think I trust you enough to run, Luff." Rain continued to rain down and thunder crackled above. "Can't believe you got caught by a clown! I kicked his arse when I was eleven!"
"Wait, you know Buggy?" Zoro asked. You smile a little at your childhood memories over the sea. "And you beat him?"
"More like beat him up, but yes," You smile as you all continue to run down the path. "Found out he was sleeping with my mother so..." Sanji and Zoro exchanged looks of amusem*nt before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Yeah, my ma popped his cherry. I probably shouldn't have known what that is when I was eleven..."

"Fuji slept with Buggy?!" Sanji shouted in surprise.
"Yep! She has weird taste!" Maybe it was best to steer away from this conversation as much as possible. Everyone knew how blatantly blunt you were, but this was taking the cake. Not to say it wasn't amusing, since Zoro was trying his best not to laugh (Luffy was just confused) and Sanji...was being Sanji.
"By the way, what's in these bags, [Y/N]-chan?" He started to open one of the bags to peak inside, and red caught his attention. Zoro watched him as he lifted it up slightly to inspect it, and his eyes trailed over the bright dress.
"Clothes."Zoro scoffed.

Upon further inspecting the dress, they could both imagine you wearing it: the dress highlighting your curves, showing off a little more of your thigh and chest, and how beautiful you would look.

More Marines were following after them from behind so Sanji stuffed the dress back inside of the bag. "What persistent bastards! Should we stop and fight them?"
"We don't have time for that. Oh. Who's that lady?" His eyes morphed into hearts at the sight of the young woman. It was Tashigi, standing in the rain as her head tilted towards the ground, her face cast in a shadow. A sense of anger was rising in her chest the longer she looked at Zoro and you. The thought of how Zoro had not been honest in the first place, and how he had been part of a pirate crew, sent a sense of unbridled rage through her system.

"I didn't realize you're Roronoa Zoro, and a pirate to boot. You...You lied to me!" She raised her head to face them all. Everyone stopped running. Sanji clenched his fist, a sense of fury across his face. Always the simp for every woman. "What?! What'd you do to her?!"
Zoro took a step forward, gently pushing you out of the way. "You didn't ask my name. That's all. It's not that I lied to you." The rain started to roll down the swordsman's face, trickling down his cheeks and causing his clothes to cling to him. "A rogue like you can't be allowed to own a renowned sword! I'll collect your sword, the legendary Wado Ichimonji!"

Zoro smirked, gripping one of his swords with one of his hands. "Try it." She unsheathed her own sword and both swords clashed, sending off blue sparks. You place down Luffy onto his feet to watch the fight commence. Both swordsmen started to shudder at the strength exhibited between them both: they free themselves, and Zoro slashes his sword down but Tashigi catches his sword in time, and once again, are stuck in a similar pose.

"You jerk! How dare you attack a lady!"
"Didn't she attack first? Best not to underestimate a woman, especially a pissed off one," You say, crossing your arms against your chest. You and Tashigi had never seen eye-to-eye, nor did you particularly like her. But, you could understand how she wanted to show how strong she was and wasn't someone to be underestimated, due to mostly high positions being held by men.But, it wasn't as though Zoro lied. He only wanted to search for a sword, and even helped around the base (when he knew who they were) as he was asked to. Maybe with some reluctance, but, he still did it.

"Please don't interfere!"
"What?"
"This is the fight between Roronoa and me! There's no need to step in."
"You heard her. Go on ahead." After he spoke, you started running off, grabbing hold of Luffy's wrist. "You heard him! Get moving!" Zoro smiled in relief. Sanji followed close behind. "Hey, Zoro! If you hurt the lady, I won't forgive you!" You yanked Sanji's collar and started to drag him as well. Still, he seemed more happy about it then Luffy did. It was like trying to coddle two toddlers and having to drag them somewhere.

Luffy held his hat with his hand. "I see the exit! The harbour is up there!" Someone else was standing at the bottom of the path. Ok, this was starting to grate on your nerves. The annoyance of some people. You let go of Sanji's collar. "Hey, who is it this time?" Smoker stood with his light green motorbike with massive wheels at the end of the path, his fists clenched at his sides. "You're finally here...Straw Hat Luffy...Reaper..." Everyone stops. "Ddidn't I tell you that you can't enter the Grand Line unless you beat me first?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about it."
"You're such an airhead..."
Sanji placed his hands on his hips. "Hey, Luffy..."
"Sanji, [Y/N], go on ahead. I'll be right there."
"You sure, Luff?" He nods his head to your question. A smile spreads across your face and you look towards Smoker with one hand on your hip. "Bye, Smoker. It was nice seeing you again!" Smoker's cheeks flush bright red, and the heat reaches the tips of his ears. Luffy and Sanji look from you to Smoker, then exchange looks of confusion, before jealously overtook confusion. Of course, Luffy didn't understand what the feeling was, but Sanji was glaring at the silver-haired man.

A tenseness rose in the air. You could sense the jealously in the air; you could cut the air with a knife it was so thick. Lightning crackled above. "Go!" Well, you had to go by Captain's orders.

The Going Merry was slowly setting off across the ocean, as the cannon balls continued to hit against the water and spray water everywhere. It started to rock the ship from each added hit against the water. You and Sanji ran towards the harbour, heading closer towards the Going Merry as it sailed away, kicking down any Marine in the way. Sanji easily kicked away any Marine even while holding your bags, but there were far too many to deal with right now. "Dammit! This is endless!"

Usopp jumps into the water, and water splashes everywhere. Usopp picks up his slingshot and starts firing at the countless Marines and they immediately fall down from the countless hits. As Usopp does this, Sanji twists around and slams his legs into the Marines as you simply sneak up behind them and slam your hand against their necks in order to knock them out.

The Going Merry further sails away, leaving Nami to call after you three.Usopp climbs back onto the harbour, shooting from a distance. But, all of a sudden, a green wind flows through the entire town and sends everyone flying in different directions. Buildings are easily destroyed, and doors are broken off, and rubble covers the entire street. Usopp is resting against the wall on his back, Luffy is laying down between the rubble, and everyone else slowly starts to stand, except for the Marines.

"Luffy!" Nami wraps her hands around the side of the ship, her expression twisted in slight worry.
"Nami!" Everyone stood beside each other, watching as the ship continued to sail away.
"We'd better hurry up or the ship will be swept away!"
"Ok!" Everyone started running in the opposite direction to Luffy. You stop, watching as he ran off. "I kinda have a bad feeling."
"Gum-Gum...!" He throws himself towards a metal bar and starts to stretch his body.

"Wha?!"
"W-Wait!"
"I have a bad feeling..."
"That's what I said!"

"...Rocket!" Luffy's body is sent forwards and even as everyone tried to run away, Luffy was too fast: it flung everyone into the air and they landed against the topsail and landed inside of the ship. Luffy was sprawled out with his legs across Sanji, whilst Zoro was in front of the chef, Usopp was beside Luffy, and you landed beside Zoro, with one of your arms pressed against his back.

"Everyone..." Nami smiled in relief. The waves became more aggressive as they slammed against the side of the ship, spitting water into the air. At least everyone was safe.

Everyone got up and headed towards the front of the ship, except for Usopp who wrapped his arms around one of the masts. "Ugh! It's almost like the ship's gonna tip over!" A lighthouse in the distance flashed every few seconds, becoming nothing more than a shadow.
"Look at that light!"
"Is that a lighthouse of the island?"
"It's a "guiding light." The entrance to the Grand Line lies ahead of that light."
"The Grand Line is ahead of that light..." Luffy wavers off as he tightly holds onto his hat. You tilt your head towards him, then look towards the lighthouse with a smile across your face. Your journey was just beginning.

"What do you wanna do?" Nami asks, turning towards their Captain.
Usopp looks up at the lighthouse in worry. "B-But there's no reason to enter a storm like this..."
"Okay, then! Shall we hold a launching ceremony for setting sail on the great ocean?"
"Hey!"
"Sure!"
"Let's do it!"

Sanji raised his foot and slammed it onto barrel, with his hands stuffed into his pockets. "In order to find the All Blue!"
Luffy raises his foot and slams it on the barrel as well, a smile spreading across his face as rain continues to downpour. "In order to be King of the Pirates!" Zoro soon follows with a grin. "In order to become a master swordsman!"
Then, Nami. "In order to draw a world map!"
Usopp shakily slams his foot against the barrel. "I-In order...to become a brave warrior of the sea!"

Everyone waits for you to do the same. But, what was your dream exactly? You had never thought about it. You were mostly led by the Government or your father and only listened to their commands, not one of your own. You scratch the side of your cheek. Their eyes watched you with a sense of confusion and slight worry from your sudden silence.

"[Y/N]?"
"Is it bad I have never thought about it before? I've never quite had a choice before, not even when I was younger. The sea has always been my home, but I've only ever been trained to kill or destroy." Still, an idea comes to mind. You raise your boot and slam it against the barrel, resting it between Luffy and Sanji's. "In order to...destroy my father's legacy and become the strongest." Everyone smiles down at everyone's leg resting against the barrel.
"We're going...to the Grand Line!!" Everyone raises their legs into their air and slams them down, shattering the barrel on impact as more lightning crackles above.

Ah yes, this was just the beginning.

Chapter 17: Chapter 15.5: Usopp Fixes Your Mask and Sparring with Zoro! Kinda.

Chapter Text

He rested against his arms, his back leaning against the wall. The swordsman felt the heat rise to his cheeks the longer he stared, his eyes sparkling with an unusual emotion. At least, he couldn't understand it completely.

Usopp turned his head, for a split second, and his attention stopped on Zoro who was now watching your (dozing off) figure. He furrowed his eyebrow in confusion. The swordsman was a little obvious, if anything. "Zoro? What are you doing?"
"Huh?" Zoro's face flushed dark red. He scowled at Usopp snickering and looked away.

The sun from above shine over your features, highlighting them even more as sweat rolled down your cheeks and heaving chest. You accidentally broke off a few buttons after rolling over to the side towards Zoro. It showed off a bit more of your breasts, allowing a bead of sweat to roll down from your neck to slip in-between your breasts. Zoro forced himself to look at you once again even as his heart beat erratically against his rib cage. His face blushes even darker as he notices your cleavage on show.

You are beautiful, and that's a fact. He couldn't help but gaze at each aspect of your figure, your face, and the way you rolled into yourself as a way to gather warmth. A few snores erupted from you. It was strange to think these were the only times you tended to be calm, or not try to dash off further into danger. In Loguetown, it was the only other time you had been smiling the entire time. That you had felt safe and hadn't needed to be on your guard. It was a pleasant change. After all, you were a demon, a creature of strength, wrath and blood-shed. Well, your temper was still something else, (along with being a downright sad*st), but, you were a kind person.

"Instead of creepily staring at her," Usopp began, clicking another fragment into place. He tilted his head towards Zoro, who scoffed in annoyance at his remark. "Why not talk to [Y/N] when she's awake? It's kinda creepy."
The swordsman huffed. "Whatever, long nose." Usopp furrowed his eyebrow before scowling.

You tucked your head into your chest, a quiet snore erupting from the back of your throat. Some musings in demon dialect slither from you as you sleep, musing of various things. Zoro narrows his eyes in confusion."On on, oroZ. T'Nod nworf. Er'ruoy etuc nehw uoy elims!" (1)
"What?"

"Maybe she's speaking her language? Wonder what she's saying," Usopp wondered, slotting another piece perfectly. Both men watched as you yawned, your mouth opening widely to show off your sharp fangs. Your eyes fluttered open, blinking a few times and your eyes slowly adjusted to the light. Zoro was the only one to catch your attention. A smile spread across your lips.

"Zoro, hey," You uncoiled from around yourself, stretching out your arms above your head and your chest bounced a little from your movement. He watches, appearing spellbound, his cheeks and ears flushing dark red. "Want to spar?"

It took him a moment to realise what you had said.

"Zoro? Are you ok?" You asked, your eyebrows furrowed in worry. His grip around his swords started to waver and shudder. Your eyes trailed over his face, focusing on the distant look in his eyes. A sense of sadness clung to the air. "We don't have to fight with swords." You slipped your sword back into its sheath. He hesitates, before returning his swords back. "How about we practice hand-to-hand combat whilst we talk?"
He sighed. It wasn't an unpleasant idea. But, he wasn't the best with talking. He never had been. He was more of a fighter.

You both stood in defensive positions opposite each other on the deck. Zoro clenches his fists against his sides and bolts forward, throwing a fist towards you which you dodge by bending your back. A smirk spreads across your face- his cheeks dust a little- and you throw your leg upwards, swinging it towards the back of his head. He throws up his arm just in time, gritting his teeth at the strength you exhibit. You continue to push your leg further, balancing yourself with both hands pressed against the deck. It was starting to scrape against your hands; your palms were starting to redden.

You jumped backwards and landed on your feet. Softly, you rubbed at your reddened palms with a smile across your face. "So, what's on your mind? Did something Tashigi say affect you? You have been a little distant since then."
Instead of answering straight away, he clenched his fist and sprang forward, throwing his fist towards you, which you easily deflected with your arm. He pushes you back with his other hand; you stagger backwards and you land against the mast. Before you can do anything, Zoro presses his hand beside your head, trapping you there as his other arm rested above your head. His cheeks and the tips of his ears were a vibrant red, darkening as your eyes caught his. You open your mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Your back rests against the mast, feeling the coldness slither over your spine as the wood fragments digs into your back. Zoro's face is inches from your own.

Zoro's heart beats faster against his chest, thudding against his ribcage the longer it lasts. You intrigue him, you fascinate him in numerous ways. The way your eyes sparkle and shine when you see something new, or smile when someone gives you a compliment made his heart explode. Too cute and sometimes oblivious to the world. As blunt as you were, and kind, sometimes, you were lead by your obliviousness as you were kept under supervision by the Government and Masahiro. It was obvious you wouldn't even be aware if someone (or people) had fallen for you. All your life you had been taught by blood-shed, wrath and death. A change, one of bonds, companionship and love is what you needed, is what you desired.

"As a swordsman, does...anyone ever look down on you?" His chest heaved up and down in a steadyrhythm.
You purse your lips, crossing your arms against your chest. You cheeks flushed a little from the closeness. "Well, yeah. They tended to underestimate me a lot due to being a woman. I'm guessing that's what Tashigi was talking about? I can understand where she's coming from. She likely became stronger to prove herself to be as strong as any man. High positions, especially in the Marines, were held by men. Since no one knew me to be a woman since I disguised myself, I was just known for my terrifying demeanour."

A smirk spread across Zoro's face. "Sounds a little like the Pervy Cook."
You snort, staring through his eyes with a wide smile across your lips. "That's fair. He's been brought up not to hit a woman, no matter what. He was taught that throughout his life. It's a part of him.I eroda mih rof ohw eh si. Taht nam saw ym tsrif ssik rof a nosaer." [2]
Zoro narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What?"
"Nothing."

"Hey, [Y/N]! I have something for ya!" Usopp shouted. Both you and Zoro turn towards Usopp who has a smile across his face as he waved his hand towards them.
"Looks like Usopp needs me."
Zoro removes his arms from the mast and crosses his arms against his chest. "Let's fight for real some time."
"Definitely." With a smile, you go in different directions (Zoro returned to his spot) whilst you walked upstairs and stand beside Usopp. The man was sitting cross-legged on the floor. "What's wrong?"

Usopp raised his goggles up to rest them on his head, pulling back his hair a little as he held up your mask. There was no hint of a crack in sight. Only a few scratches across it from years ago were noticeable. Your eyes widen at the sight: your lip quivers, as you freeze. All emotions build up at once at the sight of the gift from Fuji. Usopp recoiled in surprise. Tears building up in the corner of your eyes started to roll down your cheeks. You sniffled. "[Y-Y/N]?! Are you ok?!"
You throw yourself at him knocking him on his back: you wrap your arms around his neck and press multiple kisses against his cheeks. His cheeks flush bright red at the butterfly kisses against his cheeks, how soft you were being as your lips brushed against his skin. He didn't even care as your tears rolled down and fell onto his shirt, even as it started to cling to his skin. A combination of the kisses against his face and your chest pressed against him was making him more flustered.

"Thank you so much, Usopp!" The mask laid beside him. His hands hovered over your waist, slowly falling until he finally worked up the courage to wrap his arms around your waist. Still, his entire face and ears were red. He didn't respond, but he at least knew how thankful you were and knew how much you loved that mask.

This is what you needed in life, not death or wrath. And you liked this change.

Chapter 18: Chapter 16: Apis

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

A calmness filled the entire ship as it slowly bobbed across the waves. Well, as calm as it could be when you had an overexcited crew and Captain. Usopp watched a boat a little distance away from the ship, as birds swarmed overhead. He blinked his eyes in confusion. "Hm...? What's that?" Luffy sat on the Going Merry's head, which was his favourite spot. He looked up at Usopp. "Hey! There's a flock of birds to starboard!"

Luffy stood up, propelling his arm back and extends it towards the boat and wrapped his hand around the person instead. His arm swings back, his hand grasping the young girl and swinging back towards the ship. He ends up slamming into Zoro and sending him off the ship, plummeting him into the sea. The man is still in a sleeping pose as he tumbles out of the ship and splashes into the water.

You lay against the ship, your eyes beginning to open from the sound of a loud splash. You tilt your head to the side, looking for anything out of the ordinary or out of place. It takes a moment for you to realise Zoro was missing from his spot: you roll over towards the side of the ship, grasping at the side of the ship with both hands and lift yourself up in order to stand. Yes, Zoro was currently frozen (likely due to anger) as he floated beside the ship.

You take a step backwards before throwing yourself down and landing on top of the sea, the bottom of your boots pressed against the water. You turn towards the young swordsman, resting your hands against your waist. It was hard not to find this amusing. The man was close to losing his temper, but seemed frozen in time as though it was taking longer to realise. You scoop him up into your arms bridle style, one arm wrapped around his legs whilst the other was around his waist. Magic started to lick at your entire body in a [f/c] glow: you murmur something under your breath and your entire body begins to ascend slowly into the air. You float higher and higher, until your boot hits against the side of the ship and you jump onto the deck.

Zoro coughs, wiping his face down aggressively over his face. The sudden splurge of warmth surprises him slightly, his cheeks flush from the sudden heat he can feel and resists the urge to curl into it. He tilts his head upwards, now no longer frozen, and his face flushes bright red at the sight of you holding him in your arms. Still, you are more focused on the little girl on the deck completely soaked through, as water drips down her complexion and her eyes are an alarming milk white.

Nami and Sanji crouch down on either side of the young girl whilst Usopp looks at her from behind Nami. "Hey, look. It's a girl!"
You murmured to yourself, but Zoro heard and snorted, "Didn't know Nami was pregnant..." You gently placed Zoro back down onto his feet, one of your hands wrapped around his waist to secure him. His cheeks flush a little from the content but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he just grumbles to himself.

Luffy steps beside Usopp with one hand pressed against his hat. "Oh? Is she a fishperson? Where's her web?"
A sweat drop rolled down Usopp's face. "You idiot. Just how does she look like a fishperson?"
"Why was a little girl in a small boat like that?"
"...Fishing."
"No, [Y/N]."

A scent of something delicious wafted in the air. It coaxed the little girl to wake up from her slumber. Usopp picked up a piece of cloth, cold and soaking wet, about to place it across her forehead before she sprang up and her head slammed against his; he fell backwards and collapsed on the ground. Apis held her head in her hands, tears building up in the corners of her eyes. "Ouch!"
"So, you've come to?"

Apis tilted her head towards Nami, who was sitting at the table beside Luffy. "Seems you're doing better than I expected. Does it hurt anywhere?"
"You must be hungry. I'm cooking soup right now."
Nami smiled. "Were you in a ship wreck or something? You could've been in big trouble. What's your name?"
Apis frowned. "When you ask someone questions, you should give your name first."

Nami didn't even seem to take offence to how defensive she was being. Instead, she simply winked. "Good point. My name is Nami. The one who's cooking soup in the kitchen is Sanji!"
Sanji turned around with a smile across his face. "Hi!"

Before Nami could say anything else, the door was slammed open to reveal you and Zoro wrestling around a little, with your arm around Zoro's head in a headlock. You both rolled further through into the room as everyone, except Apis, watched as though this was a normal occurrence. Nami narrowed her eyes at the scene, her annoyance growing more and more. Apis was watching them warily.

"WHO SAID YOU COULD BITE?!" Well, he didn't say there were any rules. You wrapped your legs around his waist and started to tighten your grip. He pushes your cheek with one of his hands, whilst the other tries to push at your face to try and stop you from biting his upper arm. His cheeks flush bright red as your fangs buried deeper into his flesh. Nami watches, propping up her elbow onto the table to rest her chin on it.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE STARTED THIS!"

"SHUT UP!"
"Can you two...KNOCK IT OFF?!" Nami raised her fists and slammed them down onto Zoro's and your heads. You both collapse onto the ground, shouting words of pain and annoyance. You sit in Zoro's lap as you cradle your head with both hands, rubbing at the tender spot Nami had hit. Zoro was grumbling to himself, hiding his face in his hands. The feel of your warmth in his lap was flustering himself further and he couldn't say a word. He was between pain and embarrassment. Apis sweatdrops at the scene unsure how to react as Nami sits back into her chair as though nothing just happened.

"The one wearing a bellyband is Zoro, and the one sitting in his lap is [Y/N]." At the mention of that, Sanji cranes his head around to cast a glance towards them. He would be lying if he didn't admit his heart sank at the sight, and the thought of it made his chest twist uncomfortably. Sanji may be the ladies man sort, but his love for you was as strong as ever. It took him a long time to realise and it seemed too late when he went off across the sea with Zeff. In hindsight, he was a child back then and didn't completely understand the warm sensation whenever you were near, or how you made him feel at ease despite everything.

Sanji's eyes narrowed at you sitting in Zoro's lap, and jealously became a fond emotion of his. It built up in his chest the longer he stared and he had to force himself to look away as his hand clenched. He needed to focus on the task and not think about it too much. Or else his jealously may spiral. Plus, the fact it was Zoro made it even worse.
"The one who's unconscious over there is Usopp. And..." A massive bruise was forming underneath Usopp's chin from where she had struck him, and sweat rolled down his face. He was still very much so unconscious. "I'm Luffy. I'm the captain of this pirate ship." Luffy beamed widely.

Apis' expression changed immediately: her eyes widened and sweat rolled down her face. She shouted, "What?! Pirates?!"
"We're heading to the Grand Line." Everyone stared at her in confusion at her terrified expression, whilst Sanji continued to cook. You stood behind her, your arms crossed against your chest as your body became whole again, no longer made from shadow.
"What's wrong?"
"She isn't moving."

Zoro leaned against the wall with his arms behind his head. "What're we gonna do with this kid?"
Luffy turned his head towards Zoro, a frown spreading across his face. "Ahhh, well, what should we do?"
"Let's think about it tomorrow."
"If she survives that long."
"[Y/N]!"
"What?" You say, puffing out your cheeks. "Then again, if she survived that long across the sea, maybe there's something else to her." You turned your head towards Apis, your eyes narrowing at the terrified form of the child.

You didn't judge from first looks alone, or why a child was at sea, but it was unusual.

A little later...

It was dark by now. The skies were dark blue, as sparkling white and yellow stars sparkled above. The waves were extremely calm, only hitting lightly against the sides of the ship. It bobbed slowly against the sea, streaming through the waves. The moon sparkled from above in a bright white glow, trailing across the waves causing them to sparkle immensely. Both you and Nami (when she forced you to, otherwise you would curl into a ball on the ground) shared the bed. You were dressed in a vest without your bra, with a pair of shorts whilst Nami wore something similar so you two were matching.

Nami snuggled herself into your chest, pressing her cheek against one of your breasts, a flush coating her cheeks as a dreamy smile spread across her lips. She laid on top of you as you rested your head against the cushion. Her arms wrapped around your waist, her fingers stroking against your exposed flesh. Her legs spread out across your legs as she slept. Your hands softly wrapped around her waist, your eyes casting towards the ceiling above. Your tail hit gently against the side of the bed, as your horns pressed against the pillow. When you felt safe, or more comfortable, your tail and horns revealed themselves. You felt safe, and happy around Nami.

A rumble came from your stomach almost imitating a whale's mating call. Ah, you were hungry. You hadn't eaten beforehand as you had left shortly to watch the sea, and test your abilities. A mistake on your part. Hopefully Sanji wouldn't have a problem with you finding food for yourself (well, scavenging as Masahiro would call it.). But, Nami seemed comfortable against you and the warmth of her body on top of yours was a pleasant sensation. Your face blushed bright red as her chest pressed against your stomach and how you both shared body heat.

Slowly, you raised her body off of yours, gently picking her up bridle style. Your arms wrapped around her waist and legs: you stood up and slowly placed her down against the bed. Your hand gently stroked against her cheek, wiping off the excess sleep from the corners of her eyes. You perched down for a moment, kneeling down beside the bed to stroke her face. With your other hand, you rose the covers and placed it down just below her chin. Nami curled into a ball, her smile widening across her lips from each careful touch.

"Such beauty..." You murmured to yourself as you stood back up. A smile spread across your lips as you headed towards the door, and opened it, one eye kept on Nami. Her chest rose slowly up and down steadily. The door opened and closed behind you. It didn't take long to reach the kitchen: you opened the door and gently closed it behind you, your tail wrapped around your waist. It was dark inside. No light clung to the room or illuminated the table or anything in sight. A sigh erupted from you.

What would you even make?

You stepped forward, unaware of Apis walking around the same room until she walked into you...She fell over onto her backside, her eyes widening at the sudden force that knocked her over. You turned around, your eyes illuminating and glowing in the darkness. Trails of [e/c] trailed across the darkness- Apis slowly looked up and her eyes widened. Sweat started to trail down her cheeks as yours and her eyes met. She let out a scream and tried her best to crawl backwards away.

The light flickered on. Both of them turned towards the source. Sanji had one of his hands tucked inside of his pocket, with his other hand pressed against the light. His eyes trailed across the room, finding any sign of something out of place until his eyes landed on Luffy twisted in a mouse trap. "You again? You never learn no matter how many times I tell you, Luffy." He wiggled around in the trap. "Can't you get it through your thick skull?" His head then turned towards Apis who had a cloak wrapped around her head. Sweat rolled down her face, realising she had been caught. "Hm? What're you doing?"

You minded your own business, heading towards the fridge as Apis silently watched. Fear started to build up in her chest from the sight of you. Your aura was overpowering and terrifying, and your horns, your tail and even your glowing eyes were enough to freeze anyone in their place. Sanji watched Apis for a moment, then turned his head towards what she was staring at. "Oh, [Y/N]-chan?" You opened the fridge and grabbed hold of a big piece of meat, placing it in-between your fangs and bit down. You turned your head, slowly and your smile widens shakily, your voice wavering. "Hey...Sanji." Soon enough, Luffy was freed and started to eat meat at the table with different food placed all across the table itself.

Sanji placed his jacket down against the chair. He rustled through his pocket and picked out a single cigarette between his fingers. He placed it in-between his teeth. He turned his head towards you. His chest tightened.

He recognised that look in your eyes.Fear.

Sanji maintains a wide smile across his face, his eyes sparkling through yours. You stood back up and closed the fridge behind you. Blood started to trail down from the bite-marks, dropping down the meat. "There's nothing wrong with you coming in here to get something to eat. I would have gladly made something for you, [Y/N]-chan."
You turned away, wrapping your hands around the meat. Blush dusts across your cheeks. "I...didn't want to bother you, San. I'm sorry I scared you, little one. I..." You stop. Apis opens her mouth to say something but nothing escapes. The fear in your eyes reveals your vulnerability as clear as ever. It reminds her of a baby bird. It wasn't new someone (typically children) was terrified of your demonic features. Wrath was a fine advocate of your actions, bleeding through and staining your hands with blood and malevolence. It laughed at you, faintly. The idea you could be anything else except a weapon, or a monster.

"[Y/N]-chan," Sanji soothed, stepping towards you. Apis watched without a word as she sat at the table as Sanji stepped towards you. The softness in his eyes didn't waver as he took one step after the other until he was in front of you. You silently nibbled at the meat in your hands, your eyes focused on the ground beneath your feet. His soothing didn't quite reach your ears. Nor, did you allow it to. "[Y/N]-chan~"
You grumbled.

His soft, charming voice always made your heart go aflutter. Your cheeks darkened.

"You look so cute when you're eating, [Y/N]-chan~" Sanji's cheeks flushed bright red. You wouldn't quite call yourself cute but his comment made your heart skip a beat regardless.
"Shut up..." You huffed to yourself. Sanji started to chuckle. You ate the rest of the meat, in large bites even as Sanji watched with a lovestruck expression across his face. You stared at him in confusion as you caught his heart-shaped eyes, and the bright, red blush across his cheeks. It didn't take a genius to see he found you attractive by the look in his eyes and the way he leaned forward."Ijnas, er'uoy oot eutc tub ekat a pets kcab. Er'uoy gnitsaw ruoy teews skool no a retsnom." [1]

Sanji's smile widened. You started to step back towards the door, not expecting him to say anything. At the sound of his voice deepning a little, as the demon dialect that spewed from his voice caused you to freeze."Er'uoy ton a retsnom, tseraed. A elttil dootsrednusim, sey."His eyes wandered over your body focusing on the way your shorts fondly outlined your curves and butt. "Er'uoy os ytterp." [2] His 'innocent' smile widened as you slowly turned around, your eyes narrowing through his in an intense glare. Apis and Luffy shared looks of confusion as you aggressively turned and headed towards Sanji with a fierce look across your face. You grabbed hold of his collar and forced him forward so your lips were inches apart.

"Where in hell's name did you learn that?" It was sexy if anything. Hearing him speak your ancient tongue made your heart skip a beat, and cause your cheeks and ears to flush. You puffed out your cheeks as he simply chuckles. Sanji may have been scared of you when you were a child (you still did frighten him sometimes) but he knew you put up your guard to protect yourself. "...My mother taught you, didn't she?" Your tail curled around your side, stroking carefully along Sanji's side. A sliver of coldness trailed up his spine, his cheeks flushing darkly. You could unwind any confidence he may have, easily flustering him.

The feeling of your breasts pressed against his chest was making it worse, as well as what you looked like in those shorts. They suited you.

Before he could say anything in response, you turned your head towards Apis. As you caught her eyes she immediately looked away in embarrassment. You let go of Sanji's collar to step towards Apis, your tail withering across the ground like a snake. Your eyes glowed: you crossed your arms against your chest. She could sense you standing behind her- more sweat rolled down her skin and she gulped. "How come you aren't eating? What would be the point to survive the sea and then starve?" Oddly, your tone of voice mirrored that of a scolding mother. "It isn't poisoned. If it were, our charming Captain would likely have died by now." She didn't say anything but she frowned. She had a lot to think about for someone so young. Responsibilities, worries...it was a resentment she held.

A frown spreads across your face. Sanji watches silently at the exchange. "I scared you, didn't I?" She jumped a little, frowning at how easily you were able to see. You kneeled down beside Apis, pressing your cheek against the table to look up at her. Your tail had a mind of its own, skimming across the ground. "Want to know something? Even Sanji was scared of me when we were younger. And now, he isn't. Touch my horns, see what they feel like." Apis raised her hand, slowly, closing her eyes as her hands neared towards your horns. You lowered your head- her fingers traced along your horns. It felt like marble almost: smooth to touch and cold against her skin. An odd combination.

Her eyes opened at the smoothness. She raised her head, blinking her eyes a few times. "How does it...feel like that?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"My ma used to trim them a lot when I was little. Our horns shed only twice in our lifetime. The horns you see now is the first shed. Maybe in a few years they'll change. Demons are strange like that, you know?" Apis listened with interest as you spoke, not quite noticing you pushing the plate full of food towards her. She started to pick up a piece of bread and took a bite as she waited for you to continue. Sanji crossed his arms against his chest. Adoration was an understatement to how he felt about you right in these moment. It appeared like a mother coddling a child, using personal stories to help them lower their guard and make them feel better.

You had a kindness anyone was attracted to. And, he couldn't blame them for feeling that way.

Your eyes started to slowly close. Your chest heaved up and down in a steady rhythm, your cheek squished against the table. Apis blinked her eyes, a question on the edge of Apis' tongue. But, as she drank her soup, her eyes sparkled and her smile widened. "Yum! This is so good!"
Luffy beamed. "Of course! Sanji's the cook I picked!"
"I've never eaten anything this good!"

The door opened to reveal Usopp, Nami and Zoro. "You're finally smiling." What Zoro was focused on, however, was the fact you were sleeping against the table as your tail slipped around the chair, your horns dangerously pointed at Luffy. Luffy's eyes widened. His smile widened, and he leaned forward, trailing his finger along them. "Why is [Y/N] sleepin' on the table?"
Sanji furrowed his eyebrow. "What?" He turned his head towards the table. His eyes widened. "[Y/N]-chan! Why are you sleeping there?!"

Your voice was muffled."I detnaw ot. S'ti elbatrofmoc. Nmad, ym yttit ylraen llef tuo."[3] Sanji's cheeks darkened and he spluttered, having to look away. He hid the lower part of his face with his hand, feeling the blood trickle down his nostril and drip in-between his fingers. Everyone looked at you in confusion, then, turned towards Sanji. The confusion became even worse.

"Did he actually understand what she said?"
"Probably."
"[Y/N], I've said about you sleeping on the floor!" Nami said as her eyes narrowed on your form. Dark lines started to emit from your figure. You picked yourself up off of the floor, pulling up your vest which nearly fell down and revealed your chest to everyone. Everyone was mostly surprised you listened to what Nami said. Your curls spread out messily over your face, hiding your eyes beneath. No one took much notice (instead focusing on Apis) as you crawled into Luffy's lap, nuzzling your head into the crook of his neck as you wrapped your arms around his stomach. Luffy didn't even seemed to mind.

"You're eating again, Luffy?!"
A frown spread across his face. "I didn't eat that much for lunch."
"You emptied two pots, didn't you?" Luffy scratched his head as he tried to remember. "I did?" Nami leaned down towards Apis with her hands on her hips with a kind smile across her face. "You got scared when you heard we're pirates, didn't you?"
Droplets of sweat started to build up across her forehead. "W-Well..."
"Well, that's a natural reaction towards pirates these days."

"You're not gonna sell me off?" Her past thoughts on pirates still remained neutral, but her fear had calmed down a little. They didn't seem to want to harm her, and had only been kind so far.
"No way!" Usopp shouted, shock spreading across his face.
A smirk spread across Zoro's face. "You're all evil-looking, so..." Usopp leaned over and grabbed hold of Zoro's face. He started to pull his face, stretching it out a little so his smile was lop-sided. "You've got a right to talk with that face?" Then, this started a fight between the two.

Luffy simply laughed, and Nami sweat dropped at the scene.

"At least, this ship isn't the kind of pirate ship you're thinking of. Don't worry." That was enough to calm the young girl.

Luffy puffed out his cheeks but relented: he wrapped his arms around your waist and picked you up bridle style. The door was still open so he was able to trudge through. He headed down the steps and stepped towards the door. He turns his head towards you, watching as you nuzzled your head into the crook of his neck and wrapped your tail around his waist. He could feel a shudder run down his spine as your hand trailed up his back, softly tracing shapes into his flesh. Luffy's cheeks dusted bright red at the sensation along his back. Your eyes were between closing and opening as your sleepiness dictated your consciousness.

He puffed out his cheeks a little before kicking open the door with his foot. He tilted his head towards you, his eyes trailing over you. You didn't stir. He walked through the door, closing the door behind him as he stepped. He tried to place you gently down on the bed but the way you nuzzled into him, wrapping around him like a snake was restricting him more than he would want.

He tried to pull you away from his body but you refused to relent. He grumbled to himself, puffing out his cheeks in annoyance. He climbed onto the bed with you still in his arms and leaned down forward, placing you down against the bed. You rolled over so you landed against the bed, your head landing against the pillow. He unravels his arms from around you, slowly stepping backwards. Your body curled into a ball. Luffy smiled and placed his hands onto his hips. As he turned around, he suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around his waist and pull him closer to the bed. He hit his back against it, a wave of surprise spreading across his face.

"Don't leave me."

A simple plea was enough to freeze him where he stood. The mixture of sadness and confusion rattled him. He couldn't just ignore that, could he? Which is what soon led him to crawl into the bed, and wrap his arms around your waist. You nuzzled your head into his chest, your tail wrapping around him. Luffy rested his head on top of yours. It was calm. Your warmth lulled him into unconsciousness, leaving you go sleep in each other's arms.

Chapter 19: Chapter 17: The Calamitous Calm Belt! And What do The Marines Want?

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

It was morning. The skies were light orange, yellow and pink from the sun setting over the horizon. Luffy was using his strength to raise the anchor and Zoro caught it, wrapping it around the ship so they could disembark. You grumbled to yourself as you sat at the edge of the bed, wiping at the corner of your eyes with the back of your hand getting rid of any excess sleep. A strap of your shirt rolled down, revealing a little of your chest. A sudden explosion shook the entire ship, coaxing you to jump up in surprise, your eyes wide.

Quickly, you got changed into your usual clothes and headed out the door in time to see Apis wandering from the kitchen in a dizzy daze as black smoke erupted from the kitchen, leaving her covered in soot. Her arms were outstretched and had an unusual, wide smile across her face. Sanji shouted down at her from the crow's nest. "Hey! Just what'd you do?"

"I was preparing a meal!"

You tilt your head to the side in confusion, and slowly walked up the steps, your eyes keenly narrowed onto Apis. Your horns curled from your head, and your tail swished across the ground slowly. Apis turned her head towards you, shaking off the trickle of fear making its way along her spine to instead smile. "Breakfast is ready!"
"Oh," You begin, wrapping your hand around the door to slam it against the side. More black smoke started to emerge from the kitchen: a smoky scent infiltrated your senses, rolling around your tongue and overpowering your nostrils. "Let's...eat then."

But, when everyone sat down at the table they froze. Sanji stared at the sight with a furrowed eyebrow as sweat rolled down his face at the sight of the food: it was burnt, and no one could quite place what it was supposed to be. Sanji had his hands on his hips as a cigarette rested in-between his lips. The sensation of the smoke trailing through the air and licking at his taste buds was calming for such an unusual situation.

"You made this?"
Apis nodded. She had bandages over her forehead and cheeks.
"It has quite...a unique appearance."
"In addition to rescuing me, you're feeding me, too," She smiled. Sanji glanced towards the pans and other equipment in the sink. They were all dirty, and badly deformed. "I'll do anything to help you from now on!"

You leaned down with both hands on either side of the table, and sniffed at it. It smelled just...burnt. There wasn't any other scent you could place. Zoro leaned down, his eyes scanning over his own plate. "Is this really edible?" Nami slammed down her foot against his: he shrieked in pain, allowing Nami to throw the food into his mouth and force him to eat it. You watched with a furrowed eyebrow, your tail curling around Usopp's chair and slowly- as though it had a mind of its own- and started to drag it across the ground. A sudden low shriek emitted from the chair itself as your tail continued to wrap around his chair and bring him closer until your sides pressed against each other.

You tilted your head towards him in confusion, and he did the same but his cheeks flushed a little. "Oh, hi, Usopp. Did you move your chair closer?" Both of you looked down to see your tail coiled around the chair legs. "I swear my tail has a mind of its own. Sorry about that." You nervously chuckle, unwinding your tail from around the chair to instead wrap around your waist. Usopp didn't say anything for a moment, instead, he looked away as a blush flushed across his cheeks. The image of you smiling brightly at him started to haunt his thoughts: he didn't try to move away from you, but he did grab hold of his plate and placed it in front of himself.

"Hey, why are you so close to [Y/N]-chan, Usopp?" Sanji almost demanded, his jealously coating his words. Instead of saying anything, Usopp simply rose his hand whilst their eyes were focused on each other, and wrapped it around your shoulder. You didn't seem to mind, but Sanji's temper was rising. Jealously usually made its appearance when it came to Sanji: it was one of his main emotions. His hand was twitching at his side and his eyes were narrowed.
"Really? This is good." Luffy said as his cheeks were puffed out as he ate. Apis' smile widened and her eyes brightened. Choosing to ignore Usopp attempting to piss him off was likely for the best. Sanji spoke, "That's right. It's possible that just the appearance is bad." Both Sanji and Nami pressed their forks into the food before taking a bite, along with Usopp shortly after. Their face burst out into an odd shade of red and blue (mostly Zoro was blue) and sweat rolled down their faces. The taste was untraceable but it was evident it was an offence to the taste buds. Nami, Usopp and Zoro scrambled for cups of water whilst Sanji placed his hands back into his pockets and stood beside Apis.

You furrowed your eyebrow, taking hold of the fork into your hand.

Apis asked, "W-Was it that bad?" She grabbed hold of some and placed it into her mouth, before her face burst bright red. Sweat rolled down her face as soon as it touched her tongue and even tears started to build up in the corner of her eyes Overall: it was unpleasant. "Whoa! That's spicy! What is this?! I put in the wrong seasoning!"
You picked up some of it with your fork, before placing it into your mouth. You started to chew, your cheeks puffed out slightly. It wasn't the worst thing you've eaten by a long shot. Sure, it was spicy (you could take spice really well) but you could tell how much care she had put into preparing this. It reminded you a little of the dishes from back in your home country.

Sanji straightened himself. "Well, that's a common mistake." Apis lifted her head to look at him with tears in her eyes. "You'll be fine if you are careful next time." Then, he turns towards everyone else. "Hey, she took the trouble to prepare it for us. Don't waste this little girl's kindness. Oh, what's your name, by the way?"
"Apis! My name is Apis!"
Sanji placed his hands onto his hips. "Apis-chan put her heart into this food! Plus, I won't allow anyone to waste food!" He leans down towards Nami. "I'll cook something for you later, Nami-san."
"Thanks."

"I'm sorry. I'm not good at cooking...but I wanted to be helpful!!
"Don't worry about it. We really appreciate the thought."
"Leave the cooking to me, there are plenty of things you can help with."
"Right!"

You continued to eat until the entire plate was empty. You crossed your arms against your chest. "It was good. Reminds me a little of the dishes back home. And, Sanji wasn't always the fantastic cook you know now." A mischievous smile spread across your face as Apis trotted towards you with a smile across her face, waiting for you to continue. A sudden sense of deja vu washed over Sanji at the mischief you were portraying currently. It was alike when you two were children, and you were either: a. going to reveal a secret or b. try to tickle him. He would prefer the tickling right now. "He nearly set fire to the entire kitchen and my mother had to put it out."
"Really?" Apis questioned, not quite believing it herself.

Both you- with a smirk across your face- and Apis turned your head towards Sanji, who's cheeks were flushed bright red.

Sanji huffed, taking his cigarette between his fingers. "What did you say to Apis-chan, [Y/N]-chan? Nothing bad I hope."
"Never anything bad about you," You say with a smile across your face. You help to finish the rest of the food (which everyone was thankful for) and Sanji placed the empty plates into the sink, turning on the water. It started to pour over the plates, throwing water up everywhere like spit. "Say, why were you drifting on the sea, Apis?" Sanji started to wash up, as you stood beside him and watched.
"I escaped from a Navy ship..."
"From a Navy ship?"

"...during the stormy night three days ago..."
"In that small boat in such a storm...
"So what'd you do in the first place?"
"What?"
"You had to escape which means you weren't on their ship as a guest, right?" Zoro crossed his arms behind his head and rested against the wall. "But then the Navy wouldn't go after every little villain."
"You're making out as if she did something evil," You say, crossing your arms against your chest and stepped forward to stand beside Apis. You placed one hand on her shoulder, and as she looked up, your eyes sparkled through hers and your smile widened across your lips. "It's not our business, unless she wishes to tell us."

Apis smiled, a sudden sadness shining in her eyes. "As she said...I can't tell you why..."

A sudden stiffness ran along your spine: a sudden rush of a ship, massive in size, could be felt trailing across the open water, slashing through the waves as easy as a knife through butter. Your grip around Apis' shoulder tightened: you bit down on your lower lip, and patted her shoulder before stepping towards the door. You open it, taking a few steps outside to cast a glance towards the open water. Numerous marine ships were sailing towards them in the distance. That wasn't the thing that sent a streak of fear down your spine, no...It was the massive Marine ship with a red sail, which seemed to be the biggest ship of the Marine fleet. A flag, one of a familiar family, was painted across it.

It was Masahiro's ship...what was he doing here?

He had likely heard word of you becoming a pirate. You rose your hand, slowly wrapping it around the front of your shirt and pulled at it nervously. A strange magic swirled within your eyes, glimmering brightly. The waves on either side of Masahiro's ship didn't even dare hit against the sides, but instead lulled against the sea, an inch from touching the ship before it pushed outwards. It was entrancing and intriguing to watch.

"Bastard..." You murmured to yourself, taking a few steps forward and slammed her hands against the edge of the ship. The Marine vessel started to pick up speed- likely due to Masahiro using his own water abilities-leaving the other ships to trail behind. "Before long, he is going to catch up with us!" That was the least of everyone's worries as a massive wave started to manifest: Masahiro stood at the front of the ship, his eyes blazing with magic as the wave grew and grew in size at his command.

"Always compensating," You murmur bitterly to yourself. Your eyes swirled with magic, and you raised your hand towards the skies as the wave came closer and closer. Your hands slammed outwards, a snarl escaping from your lips as the wave tore into two separate waves and missed the ship by a few inches. The strength of the wave rocked the ship a little, jostling it across the open sea.

"[Y/N]? What's going on?" Nami asked as she stepped downstairs. Usopp had occupied the Crow's Nest, looking through the telescope. As he saw the ships in the distance, he nearly squawked in shock.
"Marines," You simply said, crossing your arms against your chest. Nami's eyes widened and she turned her head towards the sea, and sweat rolled down her face at the sight of the Marines in the distance. "If you ever wanted to meet my father, now is the time."
"Oh wow-WAIT WHAT?!" Usopp and Nami shouted at the same time. Your eyes narrowed at Masahiro's ship gaining. "Shouldn't we do something?!" You shrug your shoulders, somewhat unbothered.

Now was not the time for you to lack emotion.

Nami wrapped her hands around your shoulders and started to shake you aggressively. Comically, your cheeks started to drip with tears as Nami's eyes narrowed at the lack of care you were exhibiting. "NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOU TO BE INDIFFERENT! DON'T JUST THINK DOING YOUR CUTE SHRUG WILL HELP!" More tears comically trailed down your cheeks. Usopp started to scramble down the Crow's Nest in fear: Masahiro's ship was inches from theirs. He tripped over the steps as he threw himself up them just as everyone else left the kitchen, including Apis who stayed behind Sanji.

Zoro furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at Usopp. "What are you doing?"
Usopp raised his head. "Marines!" They all exchanged looks and their expressions suddenly turned serious. That was until they turned their heads towards Nami and you: they stared blankly at the scene.

That was until someone threw themselves onto the ship and landed in the middle of the ship. Everyone warily took a step back whilst Nami stopped shaking you to stare at the man. Her hands gripped your shoulders, looking to-and-from you and the stranger, shivering as the look in your eyes darkened.Masahiro stood tall, his arms crossing against his chest. His eyes lingered over each crewmate until he landed on you, and immediately his eyes narrowed, and he snarled. Your hands tore into your sides as you kept his eyes on him: not even a whisper escaped as your nails grew and pricked at your sides enough to allow blood to trickle down.

Sanji's eyes narrowed at Masahiro.

"[Y/N]. So, this is where you were. Imagine my surprise when I found out from someone else that you became apirate,"The last word was spewed with so much venom it caused you to shiver. Nami brought you closer against her side, protectively. "You were aMarine,what the f*ck happened?! What a waste of time you became," He continued to snarl, taking a step forward as you clung to Nami. No one had seen you in such a vulnerable state before: your entire body shook with fear at even the sight of Masahiro, how you tried to hide your watery stare by nuzzling your head into Nami's arm.

"Guess we did get to meet Masahiro, isn't that right, Sanji?" Zoro smirked, as he rested his hand against his sword.
Sanji took a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips. His other hand grazed against the metal inside of his pocket and he picked it up before lighting the end of his cigarette. "Damn right."
"Answer me, [Y/N]."He took a step forward as you and Nami took a step back."Why must you do this? Why are you such a disappointment? I taught you better than this!"The rise in his voice caused the water on either side of the ship to splash upwards, making the water dribble on everyone below.

You nuzzled yourself into the crook of Nami's neck, wrapping your tail around her waist and keeping yourself close. Nami had her own arms wrapped around you as her eyes narrowed onto Masahiro. Your eyes flutter closed: your hearts beat faster against your chest in a loud rhythm. Your skin was cold, too cold to touch. Your body started to shake, sending tremors throughout your entire body as all words died in your throat. Luffy looked to-and-from Masahiro. He didn't completely understand the situation, but he could tell by the way you were shaking, and the look in your eyes, that you were terrified of this man. Sanji's eyes trailed towards you for a split second- it took a lot not to just bring you into his arms, but...Masahiro was powerful. He needed to be dealt with immediately.

"Get off the ship..." You began.
"What was that?"
"Get off the ship. You aren't welcome here!" Before Nami could do anything, you unravelled yourself from her arms and stood face-to-face with him. He snarled in response, his anger starting to grow. He clenched his fists, an alarming flame swirling through his eyes at even the thought of you 'talking back'. "Why are you here?!"
"To bring you back to the Marine base! You arenotbeing a pirate! You will bring disgrace to our family!"
"I DON'T CARE!" Your eyes glowered brightly and with one violent throw of your fist is enough to hurtle him off of the ship and send him into his own ship. You raise your hand, your eyes level with the ship, as the water all around begins to become more violent and hit against the sides of the ship. With one thrust of your arm, the wave sends Masahiro and his ship miles away.

Your hands clenched and unclenched, as you kept your eyes on the water across the horizon, only a panicked breath escaping from you. No one dared to speak even as tears clouded your vision and streaked down your face in clear, crystal droplets. Sanji wandered over without a word, taking the cigarette from between his lips to snuff it out with his fingers. He opened his arms, outstretching them before you with a smile across his face. You wander towards him and bury yourself into his chest. He gently wraps his arms around you and brings you closer as you begin to sniffle. No one was sure how he was able to calm you down so easily. Maybe it was due to knowing each other for so many years and due to how fond you were of each other.

Still, the thought definitely made everyone jealous, as well as seeing how close you both were currently. Luffy didn't know what this emotion was, but Zoro, Nami and Usopp sure enough recognised this emotion. They stood slightly glaring at the cook until they turned their heads towards the ships. Sanji lowered his head so he could whisper into your ear, "Are you ok, [Y/N]-chan?"
"Getting there, San. Thank you for always being there for me." Sanji's cheeks flushed dark red. You smiled up at Sanji, laughing as your eyes met with his. You stroked the side of his face, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before unravelling yourself to join everyone else.

Sanji froze where he stood: he rose his hand and traced his fingers over his lips for a moment. His cheeks flushed darker at the thought of your lips against his, how even if it was for just a moment, he couldn't help his heart from bursting with adoration. Everyone stared at the other ships in the distance, not noticing Apis taking a few steps back in fear.

"Those ships belong to Branch 8! I escaped from them! What am I gonna do?"

The sound of cannon balls being fired off in the distance silenced everything immediately. The smell of sulphur clung to the air, dampening the already tense atmosphere with the idea of fighting. Usopp started climbing up the rope to the crow's nest, freezing at the sight of the cannon balls headed their way and sweat starts to roll down his face.

Thankfully, all three miss but they slam against each side of the ship and nearly slams it hard enough to fall onto its side. Everyone shakily rocks around the ship; Sanji has one careful arm around Apis as he clings to the deck. Apis says, "A wind is coming. A strong wind is..." All of a sudden, a strong wind current sweeps the ships and the Going Merry is sent further across the water. But, almost as soon as this happens, the ship stops across the water. Usopp and Luffy start cheering. "I feel like this ship hasn't been moving at all for a while..."

Nami suddenly freezes, her eyes blanking completely. "Ah! Dammit...! We've entered the Calm Belt!!"
"Charm Belt?"
"What the heck is that?"
"Calm Belt! It's an area of sea where nothing moves a muscle!" Whilst they begin to squabble, you head towards the back of the ship and cross your arms against your chest. The ability to control water would be helpful just about now- but, you had never quite practiced that ability enough for it not to become too aggressive. Sure, you had been able to slice Masahiro's wave in two...you needed to try. You should have practiced more, you wanted to. It's just that would mean clinging to the old man's legacy in order to. It wouldn't hurt to try to make it your own thing, and forget who you gained it from.

The ship started to bob up-and-down as though something underneath was moving it. "What was that? An earthquake?"
"Earthquake? On the sea?"
"You guys, enough chit chat! Fold the sails and start paddling now!" Sometimes, Nami acted like more of a Captain than Luffy did. Then again, someone had to make sure no one died, and to keep everyone, mostly Luffy out of trouble.

Your eyes flutter closed: your heart slowly starts to slow down against your chest. You extend one of your hands outwards towards the sea, the image clear on your mind of the clear blue waters. It was small, but noticeable: there was a sense of some monster, or several, beginning to swim underneath the ship. Your heart beats with their own, and you can clearly see their massive silhouettes underneath. Getting out alive would have to happen now or never. With a sense of sourness on your tongue, your eyes open and narrow, and suddenly thrust your palm outwards. You grit your teeth, biting down on your lower lip as the ship is thrust forwards at an extreme speed as you continue to focus on the task at hand. Slowly, but surely, the ship was going along the Calm Belt.

Iron infiltrates your tongue and teeth as the taste of black and red blood trailing down your lip from the gash across your lips.

"Huh?! How is this happening? We weren't even moving a second ago!"
"Could it be a sea creature?!"

A smile spreads across your lips. But, it vanishes as the ship bobs up-and-down once again. The ship, along with other large figures in the water, start to rise further and further until they reveal themselves. The Going Merry was currently resting on top of a Sea King, and numerous others started to reveal themselves, of different colours and sizes, but all bigger than the ship.

Nami holds onto the mast (as well as Usopp) as tears comically roll down her face. "The Calm Belt is the nest of the Sea Kings. The ones here are huge. They're another reason why people can't cross the Calm Belt."
"What're we gonna do now?" Sanji asks, as sweat rolls down his face.
"F-For the time being, no one move-" You jump off the back of the ship and onto the Sea King's snout. "-What did I say [Y/N]!?" You wave in response.
"[Y/N], get back here!"
"Does she want to get killed?!"

You shrug your shoulders, slowly stepping across the Sea King's snout until its eyes focused on you. You crossed your arms against your chest, tilting your head to the side as a smirk spread across your lips."Hey, now. No need for this, right?"A golden frog slowly trails his eyes towards the ship and the shout from Usopp. It prepares itself, then leaps forward. Everyone starts to screech in fear. You raise your leg into the air and jump at the same time, and slam your leg against its side. The frog is propelled backwards back into the ocean, letting out a sound of anguish as blood spurts from its nostrils and mouth stains the bright blue with trails of red. You land on both feet on the black and white Sea King. You tilt your head towards it, and its eyes widen. Each Sea King stops, raising their heads towards you.

"I do not wish to harm anyone else. If you allow us to pass, no one else will get hurt."The Sea King doesn't do much except blink. You jump back up onto the ship just as one of the tails from one of the beasts slams against the ship and sends them hurtling across the water, past the Calm Belt. You wave to the Sea Kings, possibly a trick of the light making out as though they were smiling.
Before you could say anything, someone wrapped their arm around your head in a headlock, slamming you against their chest. "What the hell were you thinkin'?!" Zoro shouted near your ear whilst you just rested against his chest. You puffed your cheeks out in defiance, even as he used his free hand to squish your cheek and pull at it.

"Hey, answer me, [Y/N]!"
"Don't manhandle [Y/N]-chan like that!" Sanji started to seethe until he saw the calm expression across your face. Sure, Zoro was 'harshly' pulling your cheek, but you seemed completely at ease resting against Zoro.
"I was thinking 'maybe I could get eaten by this weird eel', but I didn't. Unfortunately. Hopefully Masahiro gets eaten by one, that would be funny," The overly monotone voice made everyone sweatdrop.

Fog covered the entire sea, thick enough so no one was able to see. "Apis, is it really around here?"
"Not sure."
"'Not sure'? You..."
"It should be close by." There seemed to be a silhouette in the distance, alike a warship to its size and shape.
"Oh! Look!" The fog may be too dense, but it didn't take long for the island to come more into view. You tilted your head to the side as your tail 'wagged' from side-to-side, your eyes narrowing at the sight as the fog breaks away, and the view of the island comes more into view.

Apis perched at the front of the ship with a wide smile across her face. "That's Warship Island. It's shaped like a warship, so it's called Warship Island."
"I see! Interesting!" They continued to sail forward until they stopped at the port. This would surely be an interesting adventure.

Chapter 20: Incorrect Quotes Generator [1]

Chapter Text

You, walking into your house: Hello, people who do not live here.
Sanji: Hey.
Luffy: Hi.
Zoro: Hello.
Nami: Hey!
You: I gave you the key to my place for emergencies only!
Usopp: We were out of Doritos.

You: We need to distract these guys
Sanji: Leave it to me
Sanji: Centaurs have six limbs and are therefore insects. Discuss.
Luffy, Zoro, and Nami: *Immediately begin arguing*
Usopp, watching in horror: Oh this. I don’t like this. I don't like this at all.

*The squad right before yours and Sanji's wedding*
Usopp: Well I have to go, I have a wedding to attend.
Luffy: Wait... Oh! I have a wedding to attend too!
Zoro: Oh, I have a wedding to attend as well
Nami: I THINK WE ALL HAVE WEDDINGS TO ATTEND
Fuji, panicked: I THINK I HAVE A WEDDING TO OFFICIATE

You: You know those things will kill you, right?
Zoro, pouring another glass of whiskey: That’s the point.
Sanji, smoking a cigarette: We’re trying to speed up the process.
Luffy: *Nods while eating raw cookie dough*

You: You really put aside everything and came all this way for me? How did you even get here so fast?
Sanji: Several traffic violations.
Luffy: Three counts of resisting arrest.
Zoro: Roughly thirteen cans of energy drinks.
Nami: Also, that’s not our car.

You: You kidnapped Sanji? That’s illegal!
Luffy: But [Y/N], what’s more illegal? Briefly inconveniencing Sanji, or destroying our dreams?
You: Kidnapping Sanji, Luffy!!!
Zoro: You, listen, whatever I may think of you right now- these guys are counting on you to inspire them!
You: What, to kidnap people?!?!
Zoro: To work together!
You: TO KIDNAP PEOPLE?!?!?!?!
Nami: [Y/N], we all agreed a celebrity is a not a people.

You: Who the f*ck added me to a f*cking group chat?
Sanji: >:O language
Luffy: Yeah watch your f*cking language
Zoro: OKAY WHO TAUGHT LUFFY THE f*ck WORD?
Nami: 'The f*ck word'.
Usopp: Are you stupid? You guys use the f word all the time
Luffy: Oh my god they censored it
Nami: Say f*ck, Usopp.
Luffy: Do it, Usopp. Say f*ck.

You: Croissants: dropped
Sanji: Road: works ahead
Luffy: BBQ sauce: on my titt*es
Zoro: Shavacado: fre
Nami: Miss Keisha: f*ckin dead
Usopp:
Usopp, grumpy: I didn’t understand a single word of that and I hate every single one of you.

*Everyone is standing around the broken coffee maker*
You: So. Who broke it? I'm not mad, I just wanna know.
Everyone:
Sanji: ...I did. I broke it.
You: No. No you didn't. Luffy?
Luffy: Don't look at me. Look at Zoro.
Zoro: What?! I didn't break it.
Luffy: Huh, that's weird. How'd you even know it was broken?
Zoro: Because it's sitting right in front of us and it's broken.
Luffy: Suspicious.
Zoro: No, it's not!
Nami: If it matters, probably not, but Usopp was the last one to use it.
Usopp: Liar! I don't even drink that crap!
Nami: Oh really? Then what were you doing by the coffee cart earlier?
Usopp: I use the wooden stirrers to push back my cuticles. Everyone knows that, Nami!
Sanji: Okay let's not fight. I broke it. Let me pay for it, [Y/N].
You: No! Who broke it!?
Everyone:
Nami: [Y/N]... Luffy's been awfully quiet.
Luffy: rEALLY?!
*Everyone starts arguing*
You, being interviewed: I broke it. I burned my hand so I punched it.
You: I predict 10 minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick.
You:
You: Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

You: I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff.
Sanji: I witnessed the dumb stuff.
Luffy: I recorded the dumb stuff.
Zoro: I joined in on the dumb stuff.
Nami: I TRIED TO STOP YOU FROM DOING THE DUMB STUFF!!!

You: Imagine if someone handed you a box full of all the items you have lost throughout your life
Sanji: Self-esteem, haven't seen you in years!
Usopp: Oh wow, my childhood innocence! Thank you for finding this!
Zoro: I knew I lost that potential somewhere!
Nami: My moral code, is that you?
You:
You: I was just gonna show you this cool trunk my mother left me but do you guys need a hug?

You: You're the love of my life and my best friend, I would do anything for you.
Sanji: I want you to eat three meals a day and have a decent sleep schedule.
You: Absolutely not.

You: Sanji, what do IDK, LY, and TTYL mean?
Sanji: I don’t know, love you, talk to you later
You: Ok, I love you too, I’ll just ask Luffy.

You: Luffy, can I talk to you for a second?
Luffy: Yeah, what’s up? Lemme guess. You and Sanji are having problems and you want me to teach you how to kiss?
You: What? No, stop that. I know how to kiss. I’ve read books.

You: Poison is a magic transmutation potion that turns people into corpses.
Sanji: This knife is actually a magic wand.
Luffy: Meet me in the Denny’s parking lot for a wizard duel.
Zoro: *co*cks gun* Magic missile.
Nami: What the f*ck is wrong with you people.

You, banging on the door: Sanji! Open up!
Sanji: Well, it all started when I was a kid...
Zoro: No, they meant-
Luffy: Let them finish.

*You are helping Sanji out after they get injured, while the others are watching*
Luffy: How does Sanji look?
Zoro: A little better than you, actually.

You: *Screams*
Zoro: *Screams louder to establish dominance*
Nami: Should we do something?
Luffy: No, I want to see who wins.

Chapter 21: Chapter 18: Warship Island and...Is That A Dragon?

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

Before anyone could even say anything, you jumped down from the ship and landed onto the sea below, your eyes sparkling with a fond sense of adventure. The clean air, the new island...it made you feelalive.Like no one could take away your freedomanymore.You took one step after the other across the open water, your eyes flickering down for a split second to see as a few drops fell from your boots and landed after each step. The sea was barely affected as you walked. There was a temptation to take off your boots, but, you knew you would get in trouble with Nami if you took them off.

A large group of people held weapons in their hands on land, their expressions twisted into one of anger. You stepped back onto land, crunching your boots against the sad beneath your feet. There was barely any time to react as Zoro throws you effortlessly over his shoulder, resting his hand on your butt as he stepped forward. Your face darkened dark red and you spluttered in confusion: he simply stared at the strangers, taking no notice of the burning stares severing into his back. In his mind, it was the best choice- somehow, this man didn't think properly sometimes- to make sure you didn't wander off.

Sure, it made it sound as though you were a child but you likelywouldwander off. Curiosity. It was a fickle thing with consequence. We can never control it. The temptation grows and manifests whether we wish it to or not. Zoro knew very well where his hand was: his hand twitched from time-to-time and he was made more away of the warmth you exhibited and the round shape of your backside pressed against his hand. His cheeks bristled with heat at his dirty thoughts: it was no secret he felt this intoxicating, strong attraction to you. But it was no longer just attraction anymore- helovedyou.

From each childish action, each moment of clarity, of when you chose to endorse your curiosity, he would smile. Fond, is what he was. Enchanted, is what he could not control when he thought of you. Deep down he knew he may never be as close with you as you were with Sanji but it didn't mean he wouldn't fight to love you. Like everyone else was.

"Zoro! What are you doing?!" You shout as your blush darkens across your cheeks. Zoro simply snorts as he lightly pats your backside and he lets out a string of laughter as you let out a noise of surprise. "Zoro!" And Sanji's reaction? Well, the man was seething with anger. His eyes narrowed with anger and his fists clenched at his sides. It took a lot for him not to punch Zoro then and there. "What do you think you're doing to [Y/N]-chan?!"
Zoro rolled his eyes, ignoring the cook who was glaring at him hard enough you swore the man was fighting his urges to kill the swordsman.

Apis steps forward on the ship so the people gathered on the beach get a clearer look of her. She waves her hand in the air with a wide smile across her face. "Hi! I'm home!" Looks of confusion flash on their faces at the sight of the young girl. She climbs down the ladder resting against the side of the ship. "Why are you coming out from the pirate ship?"
Everyone else climbed down from there.
"Say, you guys..." Luffy began.
"W-What?!" One of the townspeople wavered as his voice shook with fear.
"Is there a BBQ restaurant on this island?!"

Everyone, understandably, was confused. They muttered confusion under their breath. Luffy rested his hands on his hips, whilst everyone else was stood, watching the strangers. Of course, you didn't have much of a view. Your eyes narrowed in annoyance at the sight of the ship instead of what everyone else was seeing. All you could see was the sleek feel of the wood, as dark lines spread across it, with a few scratches along it. Sure, this was to make sure you didn't run off but...you couldn't see anything. Or anyone. Still, Zoro was warm.

Apis outstretched her arms before herself with a wide smile across her face. "Listen! They're pirates, but they're good ones."
"Are they really good pirates?"
"Yes!"
"Weren't you taken away by the Navy in the first place?"
"That's right. But I escaped. And these guys, Luffy and the others, saved me. Right?" She turned to Luffy who was smiling.
"Yeah."

Apis' appearance on the island seemed to have confused everyone else. Being taken by the Navy likely unnerved them, and they likely believed it may have been for a reason. "What'd you do, Apis?" Was the question unexpectedly spoken. "We don't know why, but the Navy was looking for you."
"You should stay away from your home."
"They're still around." Even so, the question came from worry. For the Navy to have interest in kidnapping a child was questionable- there was likely a motive they had in mind.

Apis crossed her arms against her chest. "What am I gonna do?"
"We'd like to help but...they're pirates, right?"
"How is that reason not to help Apis?" You muttered under your breath. Zoro heard you clearly. A small smile spread across his lips for just a moment. Well, you had a point. Even if they were pirates, did it give them reason not to help Apis?

Sanji tilted his head to the side, a cigarette rolling between his teeth. "How are you, [Y/N]-chan? You shouldn't really be jumping off the side of the ship. You could have twisted your ankle." Zoro continued to watch you, his cheeks enflamed as one hand rested on his butt.
Your tail unconsciously wraps around his waist as you step closer to him, pressing your cheek against his arm. His cheeks darkened. "I'm used to jumping from ships."
"I hope this isn't a usual occurrence," He smiled, his eyes flickering over your face as you pressed your face against his arm.
"Definitely not. But it's more fun that way, you know?" He didn't say anything else, but his smile remained.

Everyone watched as the Bokuden busied himself cooking some meat buns. He turned back around to face everyone- Zoro stood beside Luffy, who was standing close to Usopp. You stood beside Sanji as he looked at the steamer basket as a cigarette rested between his lips. Steam rose from it, twirling in the air and blowing out of the window. "I see...This is the real deal." He turned his head back towards Bokuden. "Old man, how long do we have to wait?"
He turned his head towards Sanji. "Hm? Well...maybe about 4-5 hours..." That...was such a long time. You cross your arms against your chest as your tail wraps around your waist. Your eyebrow furrows and you lean forward to stare at the steamer with annoyance.
"4-5 hours? Are you kidding me? I'd rather eat it raw." Your cheeks puff out in annoyance. You were hungry, and your hunger would not be satisfied. Zoro was watching you as you leaned over: his eyes trailed over the shape of your butt.

His cheeks darkened. He forced himself to look away and cross his arms against his chest.

Sanji rose his hand and patted your head a few times, being careful of your horns. He wrapped his free arm around your waist, and slowly moves you away from the steamer so you didn't glare at it anymore. Even if he found it cute, almost endearing, it was best you didn't get into a fist fight with a steamer. You allowed for him to wrap his arms around your waist, pressing you completely against him. Your tail unravelled from around your waist to tap against the ground, stroking against it, moving from side-to-side. Zoro watched for a moment, his cheeks darkening before he looked away, feeling the familiar presence of jealously begin to rise in his chest.

He didn't like it, whatever this was. He had not felt it before...so what could it be?

After a while, everyone sat down. Luffy took his seat by the window, crossing his arms behind his head. "Ah, I'm starving." Usopp sat in front of Bokuden, turning his attention to the older man, whilst you yawned, curling in Sanji's lap and snuggling your face into his chest, as you slowly succumb to slumber. You tail simply swept across the ground, slowly tapping against it. Sanji didn't dare move- this was just too perfect. You, warmly pressed against him, as you started to doze off. His cheeks darkened at the thought, his own love and adoration filling his heart.
Usopp asked, "Bokuden, why is the Navy after Apis? Do you have any idea?" Apis sat on top of a chest beside Luffy.

"Apis! Do you have any idea?" Bokuden turned his head towards Apis.
"Not at all!" Apis shrugged her shoulders.
"You said there was a reason but you didn't want to tell!"
"Oh that! I lied!" Even that, in itself, could be a lie. Apis had not exactly been the best when it came to sharing information about herself so it was best to take it at face value.
"Then none at all."
"None at all?!" Usopp shouted as he stood up and slammed his hands against the table. Sanji glared at him in annoyance as he rested his hands on his knees.

"To begin with, the first king--"
"--Here we go again..." Apis frowned as sweat rolled down her face.
"--of Lost Island was Iscardunk. Now, King PokePortes had three children." Your eyes flicked open, hearing 'three children', which caused you to turn around a little. You tilted your head to the side in confusion as your tail slowly wrapped around Sanji's waist before you pressed your face back against Sanji's chest.
"Who had three children...?" Sanji laughed a little. With one hand, he held his cigarette whilst in his other hand he carefully stroked your head, being careful of your horns. "Has it been four hours yet?"

"No, it hasn't, [Y/N]-chan." He couldn't help but laugh as he heard you groan. Even Nami turned around to smile gently at your dozing form. "I'll wake you when it is." You rose your hand, accidentally pushing his cheek in an attempt to pat his head.
"Sorry..." You just rested your hand on his chest. He didn't seem to mind, however. He just stared down at you with love and adoration.
"The oldest son was BokeHontas, and the second son was BokeBonboko, and the third son was BokeBokepon." As he continued to tell the story, Apis started to sneak off whilst no one was looking, except for Luffy. She pressed her finger against her lips and shushed him, grinning as she continued to sneak off and headed out the door.

"If I ever named my children that, I would understand if they hated me." You said, annoyance overtaking as you couldn't sleep anymore. At least, it had been disturbed to the point you couldn't sleep anymore.
"Imagining having children in the future, [Y/N]-chan?" You rolled over, but, managed to secure yourself comfortably in his lap. You leaned against him, resting your head against his chest, as his hand rested against your waist. He comfortably rested his head on top of yours, a smile spreading across your lips at the comfort he manifested.
"Maybe, but who knows what the future may hold."

"--One day, the king said to these three, "Listen. Go find the tree that grows stars, which is said to be in dragon's valley." So BokeHontas, BokeBonboko and BokeBokepon journeyed out, one to the sea, one of the mountain and one to the forest." Apis snuck by the window, slowly stepping by so she couldn't be seen. She took a peak within, as Bokuden continued with his tale, sweat rolling down her face after realising this was going to take a while.

A while later, Bokuden was still continuing with his tale even as the skies began to darken, coloured by bright pink or orange. "Now, the 317th King IngriMongri III's son, InGrimori, was quite a wise ruler."
Nami leaned over towards Usopp and whispered into his ear. "Hey, how long is this gonna go on?"
"Who knows?" Zoro was asleep with his arms crossed behind his head whilst his three swords rested against the wall.

"He had 18 children. His 18 children..."
"18?! The poor woman, or women," You say, listening intently as you leaned forward. Your eyes were wide and sparkled brightly. You were taking it in with interest, even if it had been a few hours since he had began his tale, your hunger was long forgotten for the most part. Sanji's hands rested on your hips as your tail excitedly wagged from side-to-side.
"I'm starving..." Usopp whined as he fell to his side.
Nami frowned, sighing to herself. "We won't be able to eat until this story is over, will we?" This was taking an awfully long time...it had been hours. How many? Who could know. But everyone was hungry, which wasn't surprising.

"He had many princes. 65 of them!"
"We won't be able to eat the pork buns until then, will we?" Nami asked with annoyance. You purse your lips together, smiling gently in Nami's direction.
At the mention of pork buns, Luffy got up, and started to wander towards the door. "Luffy?"
"I gotta take a leak." Outside was dark- the skies were midnight blue, dotted with bright, white stars. They glimmered and shone brightly. You look towards the window to try to glimpse Luffy as he left, but you couldn't quite see him. All light had been consumed by the darkness for the only light was the stars above, which barely allowed itself to glow below.

Luffy wouldn't exactly be unsafe as this was Luffy, but it didn't mean it didn't make you worry slightly. The darkness was not a fond reminder. Whether due to how Masahiro had left you in the basem*nt for long durations of time for 'training' or something else, you just didn't like the darkness and what it could hold. There was a lot of unresolved trauma you needed to deal with- such as Masahiro's sudden appearance. You didn't like being scared, of feeling vulnerable and you had alwaysfearedhim. Maybe it had began to dwindle in recent years, but, it was still there, and would never go away. Soon enough, Nami got up, quietly saying her apologies as she opened the door and closed it behind her.

Bokuden, to no one's surprise, was still talking, not knowing (or possibly ignoring) what everyone else was saying. "Everyone is disappearing..." You muttered under your breath. Usopp was laying down on the floor, with his hands resting against his stomach as his expression twisted in pain. A loud rumble came from his stomach, silencing everyone. Except Bokuden, somehow. You slowly turned your head to stare at him, and Sanji does the same whilst placing his hands to hold your hips.
"You doing ok, Usopp? Your stomach could wake the dead."

He puffed out his cheeks slightly in a pout, before he focused on the way you were resting in Sanji's lap, as though unbothered by his touch. "[Y/N]?"
"Yes?" Zoro had opened his eyes, with his arms still crossed behind his head.
"Are you and Sanji...together?" He didn't like how that felt to say. His chest twisted uncomfortably, and it left a sense of poison along his tongue. You tilted your head to the side, your eyes scrunching in confusion. The thought of you two being together made Sanji's cheeks flush darkly. It was bad enough he could feel you against him, or the way you were so warm, or how he really wanted to be yours. His feelings had grown stronger.

"No...? What gave that idea?" Your cheeks flush darkly at the thought. The idea wasn't...terrible. You had even considered the idea when you were younger, but, it had been a few years and you were not sure about your feelings surrounding Sanji. Plus, you were beginning to experience feelings for multiple people, not just the man you had known for years. Feelings were complicated.
"You're really affectionate with him."
"Oh. I guess I'm just an affectionate person...I would hug any of you but I don't know if you like physical affection. I just don't want to make any of you uncomfortable. But, if you ever wanted a hug or anything, I wouldn't mind."

"I think everyone is touch starved so they wouldn't mind much..." Usopp said to himself more than anyone else- you snorted at his honesty. Both Usopp and Zoro were a little relieved, at least. But, now it was time to sleep. Again. You rested your back against Sanji's chest, slowly closing your eyes as he wrapped his arms around your waist, and you soon succumb to sleep. He felt like home.

As night turned to day, ships could be seen sailing towards Warship Island in the distance. It was the Navy, likely with a dangerous agenda in mind. Unknowingly, a familiar blue vessel also sailed towards them. Within Bokuden's residence, everyone was asleep (even Bokuden himself who was still recounting the tale), with Usopp who rested his head against the table, Zoro was still asleep against the wall, and Sanji was laid down without his blazer on, with you curled against his side with your face resting against his chest and he had his arm around your waist. Your tail swished across the ground.

Nami stood in the room with her arms crossed against her chest with her eyes narrowed as she glared at them all. "Geez...The story isn't over yet?" Luffy crouched down beside Usopp and poked his snort bubble. It caused him to wake up abruptly with a shriek as sweat rolled down his face. "Ugh!"
Zoro opened his eyes with a frown across his face, with all three swords tightly in his hold, pressed against his chest. "What? Is it morning already?"
"Is he still...?" You say to yourself as your eyes flutter open and you stand up. Nami nods and you snort. You rest your hands against your hips, twisting it from side-to-side as a yawn erupts from the back of your throat. A crack emits from your back: it runs through your entire body, a numbness overtaking you for a moment.

Sanji soon sits up. "I dozed off since the old man's story was so long..." He stretches his arms above his head. All is relatively calm until the door is slammed open by one of the townspeople. Sweat rolls down his face, and he fearfully looks around the room in search of Apis. "Th-There's a problem! Bokuden-san! Where's Apis?!"
"What's the matter?" Nami asked, resting her arms against her sides.
"Ah, you guys're pirates, right? A Navy Fleet started blocking the harbour!"
"It can't be...Just to capture Apis...?"
"Why are they after a girl like that?"

"Is she...holding something secretive? I dunno, an animal or something?" You blankly stare off to the side, unaware of the shocked expression across Nami's face. She steps over to you, cupping her hand over your ear as she whispers about the dragon, Apis and everything else. Your eyes widen and when she removes her hand from over your ear, you stare at her. "Wait what-" You turn your head slowly, staring at the man in the doorway, before quickly turning back towards Nami, your cheeks growing hot. The man was staring at you in confusion. It was best to come up with something to say, as even the rest of the Straw Hats were staring at you strangely. "-What do you mean I can't look at Zoro's arse? Is it illegal?"

You felt a small part of you die inside from embarrassment. Your statement wasn't wrong exactly, as you had looked at Zoro's butt, but...to admit that...yeah, you wanted to die right now. Zoro's face flushed dark red and he forced himself to look away. "I'm gonna...check out the Navy to see what they're doing..." Before anyone could do anything, you opened the door and slammed it behind you. Not dealing with that mess. You ran towards the harbour, noticing the Navy docked there, along with a familiar vessel. Your frowned at the sight, realizing this may be who you thought it was.

Lieutenant Hotaru and possibly Eichi. You liked Eichi, but Hotaru? You'd rather set yourself on fire than talk to her.

It would be quite the reunion. An unexpected one, but one all the same.

You stop before the harbour, eyes narrowed you watch as Hotaru emerges from the ship, along with Eichi who follows close behind her. He crosses his arms against his chest: a few noticeable, new, deep scars were littered across his cheeks and arms. Your eyes narrow at the sight- anger begins to build in your chest as your fist clenches against your side and you grit your teeth, eyes glowing with magic. Eichi moved slowly behind Hotaru, keeping his eyes level with the ground.
"Hotaru!" You shout, slamming your foot down against the sand. She jumps slightly at the sudden shout, before catching your eyes. "Who the f*ck do you think you are?!" You start to dangerously walk towards her but is stopped when a blade slashes in front of you.

You dodge out of the way, your eyes wide with surprise as you see Eichi gripping his sword aggressively whilst gritting his death. He refused to meet your eyes, but instead, stared at the ground beneath your feet. A smirk spread across Hotaru's lips. A sense of fulfilment in control was something the young woman adored. "Eichi...?"
"How nice to see you again. I heard you became a pirate, but I somehow didn't believe it until now. Imagine going against your father like this? He must be sodisappointed."

"Almost as disappointing as your inability to make someone hard-" You say with a blank stare, but snort as her cheeks grow hot and even Eichi has to look away to hide his smile. "Why are you here?"
"To deal with you pesky pirates, of course," Hotaru spoke. "You can come quietly or we can fight here."
"I'd rather not. I have better things to do with my life than feed your self-absorbed ego," You say, before your eyes drift over to Eichi. Your eyes dullen. "Did you do that to him?"

Hotaru scoffs. "That's none of your business." Hotaru turns her head towards Eichi, who slowly slides his sword back into his sheath. "Eichi, did I do that do you?"
She found a weird sense of gratification at seeing him jump slightly, and begin to shiver. He crossed his arms against his chest as his eyes dullened. "No." He stopped speaking immediately, as though it was expected.
"Eichi..."

All of a sudden, you look up in time to see the cart with the massive, green dragon resting on top of it, which comes rolling down the mountain before you turn your attention to the Going Merry starts to sail off. You stare blankly. Well, that was annoying. You wish you could talk to Eichi more, but he wasn't going to say anything else. Your chest twisted uncomfortably. You wanted to scream, to shout, do anything. He didn't deserve this.

You step backwards a few steps, then, after throwing up the middle finger at Hotaru, you run forward and leap, landing onto the open water. You continue to run forward, before jumping onto the ship, twirling in the air before landing on your feet on the ship.

"Oh, [Y/N]," Zoro said, simply. He stepped towards you. "You know about the Millennial Dragon, right?"
"Yep! Is that the dragon I saw on the cart?" He nods just as the cart slams against the water a few times before it stops in the water. You, Usopp and Zoro gape in surprise. "That was quite the plan..." You trail of, unaware of how close Zoro was standing in front of you. Usopp was still staring at the weird dragon and their friends on board to notice Zoro creep closer. You step back until your back presses against the mast and Zoro slams his hands down on either side of you. You jump a little, and turn your head towards Zoro, who's eyes glare through your own. Warmth burns your face, causing your cheeks to darken. His own cheeks are dusted with a blush.

"Zoro?"
"I still haven' forgotten about what you did yesterday, [Y/N]," He leans down so he is inches from your face. "Don' think I won't be gettin' you back or anything."
"Not sure what you mean," A smirk spreads across your lips. You cross your arms against your chest, a gleam in your eye warning him to continue. He maintains his glare. Both of you feel something, but chose to ignore it.

You had a feeling this would start an unexpected war between the two of you. Fun.

Chapter 22: Chapter 19: Finding the Lost Island!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

The old dragon, known as Ryu, curled around himself as he slept on the cart. His eyes fluttered open, revealing the bright gold hue. Bright blue fish with silver fins jumped into the air before falling back into the bright blue waters, sending droplets of water across the surface of the water. Luffy rested against the giant, listening in to Nami, Zoro and Usopp talking on the deck at the back of the ship as they stared down at the dragon. "Lost Island, huh? The map doesn't have any islands in the waters around Warship Island that fit the bill..." Nami held a map with both hands, glancing at it, whilst Zoro crossed his arms against his chest.

Luffy scrambled up and turned around to face Ryu. "Hey! Grandpa Ryu! Which way should we go?!" Instead of responding, Ryu's eyes glimmered even more as he watched the fish jump into the air, as though gliding gracefully. The thought of flying became an idea of torment: the old dragon was trying to bargain with himself, hoping for his wings to work like they used to. But, as much as he wanted that to happen, time and life were not in his favour. Even a past memory, faded, and blurry, crossed his minds as figures flew with massive, fluffy wings.

At least, he was until Luffy leaned over, while holding his hat against his head, to cast a shadow over Ryu. "Hey." He closes his eyes once again, turning his head off to the side. Luffy turns back around and looks up at everyone else. "I think he went to sleep again!" Zoro would be lying if that didn't annoy him- that's all the dragon did, or seemed to be doing.
"Sorry for the wait, everyone!"
"The food's ready!" Apis shouted with a smile across her face. Still, her saying that caused all three of them to sweat drop. The trauma of the meal she had made last time was very much still a clear memory. As well as the taste...

"Did she cook again?!"
"No one was waiting for her food!" When Sanji walked over with a rope and something else in his hands. A look of relief spread across Usopp's face. "Oh, Sanji. What a relief! So, you made today's meal---?!" An annoyed frown fell across her face and she stepped over to him before standong on his foot. The frown disappeared when she reached the end of the ship and held up the steaming pan with gloved hands. "Grandpa Ryu! Eat lots, okay?"
Sanji looked around. "Huh, where's [Y/N]-chan?"
"She went swimming a while ago," Nami spoke as she trailed her finger around the map, trying to identify each island near Warship Island, still with the important question on her mind of where the Lost Island could be.

If anyone could find out where it was, it would be Nami.

"Wait, can she even breathe underwater?"
Nami turned her head towards Usopp. "Maybe we should have asked thatbeforeshe jumped into the sea." Usopp furrowed his eyebrows and sent her a small glare. Zoro sighed at the pair, a sense of annoyance rising in him even more. It was a wonder what you were doing in the sea.

The sea was filled with many dangers. Sea creatures, Sea Kings, poisonous fish, sea beasts, pirates...but there were also many treasures hidden beneath the waves, or new things to be discovered. At the very least, you were enjoying swimming through the sea, even if a few, massive sea monsters had swam by and had scared the hell out of you. Your tail violently swished through the water as your arms swept through the current, swimming lower as your eyes skimmed across the dark blue until they settled on a torn apart ship broken in two. The large pieces rested on either side of the rock beneath. You could at least breathe underwater for longer than other people, but it was best not to stay for too long.

You swam closer to the wreck of the ship, sweeping in-between the wooden pieces broken off. This had likely been here for quite a few years, at least. The ship was already catching mould, as fish continued to swim in-between the wreckage, ignoring the bubbles rising from their open mouths and their eyes remain unblinking, not focused on the destruction of this vessel. The front of the ship had been a deer, with long, twisting antlers and wide, blue eyes. It had been a dark brown, with numerous, red paint marks left behind in swirls, with an eye painted on the back of the ship. Sad for such a vessel to have met its end. Oh, and its crew. Numerous skulls were spread out across the ship, with the rest of their skeleton remains likely swept away by the fish. Maybe one of their skulls could be a nice ornament? Or, would it be better to leave the crew as they were, so they could be together, even in death?

Maybe it was best to leave things as they were. You continued to swim further, noticing one skull in one of the beds, with another on the floor. A small table had a single photo of a man resting against it, a smile frozen in time, as a single wedding ring made of silver, with a single sapphire jewel, rested in the middle of it was placed beside the photo. A single chest was placed in the middle of the room, with a latch still attached to it. A few medium-sized fish swam by, some bright blue with dark blue stripes and others a dark red. Quickly, you grabbed hold of the chest and threw it onto your shoulder while also grabbing hold of quite a few fish by their tails, blankly staring at them as they wriggled around in your grasp. The air was starting to leave your lungs at an excessive pace as you could feel the last of your air leave- it was time to go back up to the surface.

It didn't take long for you to swim back up to the surface and by using the sea to your own command, it pushed you upwards in a stream and you landed on both feet on the ship. Water dripped off your body, rolling off your skin and staining the wood beneath. The fish in your hand continued to wriggle around, trying to free themselves, but you gripped their tails a little harder. With your other hand, your fingers wrapped around the bottom of the chest and carefully placed it down. Your clothes were completely soaked. It wasn't the best idea to go in your usual clothes but it was too late now. "Ah, [Y/N]. What have you got there?"You soon realised the ship had changed course while you had been in the sea.
You turned your head towards Nami. "A chest I found, along with some fish." Your shirt revealed your bra as it clung uncomfortably to your skin and Nami noticed, so her cheeks darkened.

At the mention of a chest, her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together as her eyes fell onto the chest. "Is it treasure?!"
"I hope so." Nami leans over the chest as you sit down before it, hands on either side of it, feeling the metal running along it. It felt cold to touch, and flakes if colour came off, slipping underneath your fingernails as you soon tear off the latch. As you opened it, all hope in yours and Nami's hearts quickly disappeared. Within were skeleton remains.

Both of you blankly stared at the contents inside and you both closed it with hands on either side of the chest. Without hesitance, you threw the chest back into the sea, listening as it plunged and water was thrown upwards, sprinkling the deck with droplets of water. What a let-down that was. You scratch the back of your neck with your other hand, a frown spreading across your face. "Sorry, Nami. I thought it might have treasure inside..." Nami looked at your sad expression. Her chest twisted uncomfortably. She shook her hands from side to side, a small smile spreading across her face. "It's fine! It's nice you thought about me! What else did you get again?"

"Just...fish. I-" You were about to continue until one of the fish you held started to cough quite aggressively (causing you and Nami to stare at it in slight disgust) as it belched and spew landed on the deck, followed by a smaller creature. It had a dark blue shell and its mouth was forced open. A silver pearl the size of a strawberry rolled from its mouth drenched in saliva. "Huh." You stepped over to it, picking it up between your two fingers (disgust written across your face) and raise it into the air, a smile spreading across your face as a glare of rainbow flashes from it and reflects on the wood below. "Looks like we have a genuine pearl here. I could wash it for you, if you'd like. It's a little slimy." It was smooth between your fingers.

"You'd give it to me?"
"Yeah," You smiled widely, your grin widening even more as her cheeks darkened. She clasped her hands against er chest, her eyes sparkling a little. "I mean, I kinda wanted to find a jewel or something for you. Want me to go wash it?" Before you could react, she throws her arms over you and wraps them around your neck and presses a kiss against your lips. A sense of lightness took over your entire body at the action. It was so soft, and so short. But it feels natural.

Your tail aggressively wags from side-to-side against the ground in a continuous motion as she walks off. A bright red hue spreads across your cheeks, the heat burning across your face and even reaching the tips of your ears. The feeling of her lips against your own still remains. You smile fondly, as your hearts beat fast against your chest. It takes a moment for you to regain your composure, but when you do, you shake your head a little, and head up the stairs, into the kitchen. Sanji and Zoro were washing up at the sink. You watched for a moment, one hand on your hip to watch the strangely calm scene. They weren't arguing and were actually working together. Odd considering they argued so often. You didn't even want to disrupt the silence (with only the passing of plates being heard).

You nod, placing down the fish onto the side and turn on the tap, patiently waiting as the water rolled over it, washing over it before it splashed everywhere. The saliva was soon washed off the pearl: you rose it into the air, glancing at it for a split second and traced your fingers over it. It felt smooth, and slimy no longer. "Hope I didn't interrupt either of you."
"Not at all!" Sanji smiles.
Zoro wandered towards the window and stared out of it, his eyes narrowing slightly at the ship manifesting in the distance. "They followed us, huh?"

Whilst this was happening, the Going Merry had gone through a wall which reflected their image clearly: it sailed through it, causing them to disappear from view from the Navy. Which, of course, caused quite the confused uproar. There was a large, orange ball in the sky as fog began to manifest, covering everything with a thick layer of fog. You, Sanji and Zoro stepped out of the kitchen to look around at the fog. "Huh? It's just fog."

Your eyes narrowed at the fog. Your tail slowly wrapped around your waist: your defence began to rise. Something was amiss, and there was likely something unpredictable within the fog. Before you got changed, you stepped towards Nami and gave her it, quickly leaving before she could even thank you. "What in the world's going on?!"
"What was that?"
"Our own ship was right in front of us..." Luffy spoke, as he looked from side-to-side as he sat at the front of the ship. "I can't see anything at all! It was a almost like...a mirage."

The rope started to slow down as you gripped it harder, boring your eyes into it as no complaint erupted from you. Apis watched with wide eyes. Then, you started to pull at it, putting all your strength into it to secure the massive dragon.
"Don't give up, Grandpa Ryu!"
"What is he saying?!" You demand, your eyes narrowing as they glows slightly. You slowly step to the side. "He isn't giving in! Neither am I! Even if my hands are bleeding, I won't give up!" As you said that, you felt someone press themselves against you as their hands wrapped around the rope, interlocking with your own as they started to pull also.

You tilted your head to the side, your eyes meeting with Zoro's for a moment. Your cheeks darkened bright red. Your hearts drummed faster against your chest, the feel of his warmth against you causing a flurry of emotions to erupt. A smirk spread across his lips, realising he had made you flustered: you turned your head back around as you both pulled, but his eyes focused on your reddening, sore hands, dusted with blood. Apis shouted words of encouragement to the elder dragon but it was left unheard as memories of long ago, when he was able to fly, settled in his mind. It refused to settle. The fond memories from long ago remained- whether as a blessing from how it used to be, or a curse as a reminder things could not go back to how things were.

Luffy suddenly wrapped himself around the mast, throwing his arm towards the cart Ryu rested on so his arm wrapped tightly around the wheel as a bright light appeared in the distance, reaching the heavens. "Nami-san! There's light over there!" The waves were still violent, splashing upwards and throwing water everywhere.
"That's the eye of the typhoon!"
"Hey! I see an island below that light!"
Nami headed towards Usopp. "We're going to land there!"

"T'nac laed htiw siht! Bmud aes! Dratsab!" [2]You curse in annoyance as you, Zoro and Luffy pull to make sure Ryu stays secure. A little while later, the ship manages to go through the stormy area of the sea, as they surround the entire island.
"It's almost like they're trying to keep people away from it...That must be why nobody's ever found it before, huh?" As everyone else stands at the front of the ship, you rest your back against the mast, trailing your fingers over the burned, red marks across your skin. The harder you pressed your fingers against it, the more it burned. Black and red droplets trailed down your burn marks. You clench both hands into your lap and curl into yourself, inhaling and exhaling deeply. You still hadn't had time to deal with the thoughts surrounding your father.

How close he had been. How easily he had made you afraid. Everything was just too much. Hopefully, he would be caught in the storm and would be left to die. He had been aggressive, and he had given a warning he would not allow for your 'disobedience' to continue. At least, he was away for now. But, presently, you had burned your hands in order to stop the rope on instinct. You shouldn't have but you couldn't take back the action. Zoro wandered over and kneeled down, carefully taking your hands into his own. He stroked his fingers along your long burn marks, cursing to himself.
"Why would you try to do it alone? Look at your damn hands, [Y/N]," Zoro scolded, his eyes narrowed.

"Sorry." You say, on instinct. It sounded genuine, but also flat and emotionless. His eyes soften as he looks over your tender expression, the way you refused to look at him portrayed enough for him to understand. He wasn't the best when it came to emotions, but he understood you more than he thought. Zoro doesn't say anything else but he beckons you to stand. You obey, not having the energy to fight him. He helps you to stand before he rests one of his hands on your waist, the other holding your hand oddly protectively as he led you into the kitchen. He sits you down, as he steps out to get some bandages quickly.

Whilst this was going on, the ship sails forward towards the island, nearing the island left to age over time. It was overrun with twisting vines covering the entire island and the buildings left behind by the last civilisation to live on it. Massive pieces were scattered all around the island from different buildings or monuments, some looking oddly like dragons.

You tilt your head to the side, knocking your leg against the side of the chair as your tail wrapped around the chair and your hand tapped against your thigh. Zoro entered back through the door, holding some bandages and a bowl full of water. He took hold of the chair on the other side of the table and moved it in front of you and sat down. Whilst you continued to look off to the side, Zoro, despite how rough he could usually be, carefully grabbed hold of your hand as he rested the bowl of water on his knee. He grabbed hold of your hand, using the other to scoop up some water. "This may sting." You nod, not saying a word.

He splashes it against the rope burns, doing the same with the other hand before he wraps bandages around both hands as carefully as possible. "Thanks for...wrapping my hands. I...shouldn't have tried to do it myself, I know. Call it instinct."
"We've landed on the island Apis spoke about. Still thinking about your old man? Guess you had no time to think about what happened."
"Even now he manages to make me afraid. Just hearing his voice causes my fear and insecurities he drummed into me from an early age to resurface. I know I'm not ok, fully. But I am trying."

He doesn't say anything but he lets go of your hands, and pats your head. "Then, don't stop trying." Your cheeks darkened a little at the affectionate action, and you ignored the smirk spreading across his lips. Despite how annoying he could be, he made you feel safe.

Chapter 23: Birthday Special: Sanji! [Part 1]

Chapter Text

Not everyone knew of Sanji's birthday. He didn't like talking about it much as it reminded him too often of how he was treated by his father and his siblings, so, only a few people knew about it. One of the people who knew was you, of course. Which led to today's events. Everyone else was awake to plan for Sanji's birthday (after you told them it was his birthday), so Sanji was the only one asleep. Sanji was sleeping in his hammock, curling into himself as he slept, a soothing snooze escaping from him. But, you were watching him from above, your head cracked to the side with glowing, red eyes with one arm wrapped around a gift which pressed against your chest. You fell down and landed in his lap, legs on either side of him which startled him awake. [E/c] eyes trained on him with shadows beneath.

You tail wrapped around his legs- his eyes opened, trained on you. Whilst he was immensely confused, he also felt his chest twist as his feelings bubbled to the surface and his cheeks dusted with a bright red blush. His hands hovered over your waist. "[Y-Y/N]-chan? What are you doing?"
"I came here to give you your birthday present," You simply spoke, holding the golden gift box tied with silver ribbon in your hands. "Thought I would jump on the opportunity before anyone else. Sorry...I scared you didn't I?"
He was too transfixed and endeared by you to even care. No one had ever cared about him as much as you did. He wraps his hands around your waist, a smile spreading across his lips. "Not at all, [Y/N]-chan, you're so sweet!"

"Maybe it would be better if you sat-argh-" He wrapped his arms around your waist and lifted you up and placed you into his lap as he sat up. Your face flushed darker as you gazed into his eyes for a split second before you looked away. "Here's your gift. I hope you like it." He took the gift from your extended hands and took off the top from the gift box. Sanji's eyes focused on the gift from within: a single rose carved from wood, with his name and yours engraved along its petals. Your fingers had plasters and bandages wrapped around them as it stained black and red with blood, hiding the numerous scratches and gashes. He picked up the rose carefully, weighing it in his hands as he looked over each detail.

"You would be my other, and most important treasure," He spoke, his tone dripping with such sweetness your heart couldn't help but swoon. Your chest beat faster against your chest, thundering against your ribcage as the lower half of your face and the tips of your ears darkened. All he sent you were looks of admiration as love and affection swelled in your eyes- he was such a sweetheart. He often complimented you in whatever you wore, saying how gorgeous you were as he kissed you so gently. How he would buy you something as he thought about you, or how he watched as you trained with the others. This man was completely in love with you.
"How can you say that so easily?"

"Because it's true, my love," You leaned forward and pressed your lips against his, wrapping your arms around his waist. Sanji was without his jacket and his blue shirt was open to reveal a little of his chest. He kissed back with a little more vigour, his hands trailed over the curvature of your figure, roaming his hands underneath your shirt to write shapes against your skin. The gift was placed into one of the other hammocks so it wouldn't become damaged. Sanji fell back onto his back and broke the kiss as he did so, but his hands, sending waves of warmth along your waist. You jostled around a little in his lap, trying to get as comfortable as possible. Your hands roamed over his chest and you started to undo each button. At least, you were trying to. Sometimes, you could not even manage to do your own buttons let alone undo Sanji's.

Your cheeks puffed out in annoyance but Sanji just admired you from below. "Why are your buttons so annoying?" Fighting was something which came naturally, but undoing something easy like buttons? You couldn't manage that. "I might just bite them off."
"Oh please do..." He almost begged.
"Begging for it now, are you?" You muse, leaning down to press a kiss against his shoulder, slowly trailing your lips towards his neck. You finally manage to undo his buttons. "What a good birthday boy you are," You say as you press numerous kisses against his neck, sucking along his more tender parts to create reddish-purple hickeys. Sanji's hands dropped from underneath your shirt to cover the bottom half of his face- it was bright red and blood dripped down his nose. He muffled his own moans and bit at his own hand so he wasn't moaning louder. That's when you bore your fangs and bit into his neck, both hands feeling over his muscles and the shape of his figure.

You remove yourself from his neck, your tongue sliding over your lips before you lick off the blood trailing down his neck. "I didn't hurt you too much, did I, San?" Light kisses press against his neck once again, taking time to kiss against each bite mark.
"N-No..." He managed.
"Such a good boy, aren't you? You look so handsome like this," You whisper against his neck, pressing more kisses against his skin as he attempted to silence his own repressed moans and the way you softly praised him sent his heart to go aflutter, for his skin to burn and the thoughts in his mind to worsen. "Don't try to silence your moans, dearest... I wonder how much louder I can make you moan." His cheeks darkened even more and he had to look away. Being praised made him feel weak, to be reduced to a flustered mess.

"Are you ok, San?"
"I-I'm...fine, just a little flustered, [Y/N]-chan..." A smile spread across your lips and you rested your head against his chest. Sometimes it was also nice to just be in each other's presence.

He looks down at you with tenderness, his own feelings running riot as his heart beat erratically against his chest. He wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you flush against him. "'ey, [Y/N], we need your help with something!"
You rose your head and looked towards the door, annoyance slowly building. "Right, Zoro! I'll be there in a second!" You turned your head towards Sanji with a smile across your face. "Sorry, San. Looks like we will have to continue this later."

Before he could say anything, you jumped down onto the floor, patting down your shirt against your sides and wrapped your hand around the door handle. Sanji watched you silently, a loving gaze across his face. The door closed behind you and you were met with Nami resting her hands on her hips, with a frown across her face. "Is something the matter?" Her eyes trailed over the dark shadows underneath your eyes.
"How long have you been awake for?" Instead of looking her in the eyes, you watched as Usopp kept Luffy away from the birthday cake (with white icing and in red letters it said 'Happy Birthday' along with having several candles) while Zoro was attempting to put up some streamers.

"You won't like the answer..." Nami's eyes narrowed even more as her temper grew. "I...haven't slept for...days..." After nearly each word, Nami seemed to be growing angrier by the second. Sweat rolled down your face and you forced yourself to look away.
"Is it due to preparing the cake and everything?"
"If I say yes, will you hit me?" You muse, but all Nami does is place her hands on your shoulders and squeeze. A soft smile spreads across her lips. Gentleness spreads across her face.

"You should have asked for help."
"You know me...I hate asking for help." At least they had time to prepare before Sanji got over his flustered state.

Chapter 24: Chapter 20: Remnants of the Past!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

Everyone climbed from the ship to start walking along the path with broken off pieces strewn across the water, or tangled with the greenery. You stared blankly at the scenery, and the broken buildings in the distance. Everyone else had started to walk up the path while you lagged behind, clenching your fists against your sides as your tail swept across the ground. There were still lingering feelings of regret and fear in your chest. Even right now, the sound of your father's loud voice shook you to your core, how his eyes narrowed into yours, trying to demean you into a person of obedience. But, this place was serene. Left behind by those who used to live here long ago: ruins swept across the island, remnants of how they used to live.

Not even the strongest person could shake off such emotions as much as they begged. No one noticed for a while as you stared at the broken rubble half-submerged in the clear blue water, nor as they continued to walk along the path. Only one person appeared to notice. You stroked your fingers along your bandages, your absent mind taking hold as you began to slowly wander. A pair of eyes watched you as you stepped forward. "[Y/N]."
You tilt your head to the side with a swish of your tail. Your hand slid onto your hip as you furrowed your eyebrows at Zoro. He cast you a knowing look. "What is it, Zoro? You seem as if you want to say something."

"You seem off. Your old man still bothering you?" He slowly stopped in front of you, his hands wrapped around his swords. You both had talked about it before you left the ship, so it wasn't surprising he knew straight away. He could also read people awfully well, especially you, oddly.
"Yes, I was," You admit. "Not that he'll ever disappear from my thoughts completely. This island is quite interesting, isn't it?" Zoro took another step forward so he was inches from your face. A dark blush flushed across your cheeks but you simply played it off with a smile. Whilst Zoro was only seeing this as a way to comfort you, Sanji and Nami were watching from afar. Jealously clouded over them differently: Sanji showed a more visual reaction: narrowed eyes, gritting teeth and his hands clenched inside of his pockets. Nami's jealously was silent, but strong. Her eyes were dark and the aura around her bled around her body, leaving a cursed thought. Usopp looked at them both and shuddered.

Luffy, on the other hand, was watching the exchange. His chest twisted uncomfortably, but he could not place what it meant. He didn't completely understand it.

"Trying to hide how you feel isn't going to help. I'm sure if you ask to stay on the ship, they'll understand."
"I'll be fine. Helping Apis is what I need to do. I want to help."
Zoro crossed his arms against his chest as his eyes narrowed. "Just be sure not to get in the way then-" You were about to say something before Sanji knocked past Zoro with his shoulder, knocking him back a few steps so he was no longer in front of you. Zoro sent him a glare, and Sanji did the same. Confusion settled over you as you watched them stare intensely into each other's eyes, filled with a sort of rivalry no one else could ever hope to accomplish.

Apis rested on the cart, kneeling in front of Ryu. The massive dragon had his eyes closed, trying to ignore the constant chatter ringing in his ears. "Grandpa Ryu! I'm talking to you, Grandpa Ryu! Sheesh! We're at the dragon nest island now! Come on, wake up!" Ryu slowly opened his eyes, revealing the bright, golden hue."
Luffy asked, with his arms crossed behind his head. "What did he say?"
"He says he's not sure. He says this might not be Lost Island..."
"What?!"
"You can't be serious! We went all the way through that stormy sea just to get here!"

"Apis!" Luffy suddenly pointed at the structure at the top of the hill. "Look at the top there! We could look down at the whole island from up there!"
"Yeah! Trying to figure things out here won't get us anywhere!" Nami turned her head towards Apis.
"Okay!"
"Alright! Let's go!"

Everyone, except Nami and Apis, pushed the cart with Ryu on it up the hill, but the pair suddenly stopped at the view of the city. It was broken, with only moss growing over the structures. They all continued to make their way through, making comments under their breath. You stop pushing Ryu to cast a glance towards Apis in the grass, holding something the size of a medal in her hand. The strange wooden artefact had a dragon on it. "The Millennial Dragon's mark...Did the Millennial Dragon play with children here on this island?" Green birds with black tipped wings and tail flew overhead Apis in a circle. "Hey! Are you guys friends of the Millennial Dragon too?"
Nami called. "Come on, Apis. Don't get left behind!"

Apis ran up to Nami with one of the green birds perched on her shoulder. "Guess what?! These birds told me something! They said there's a building on the summit with a dragon mark!"
"For reals?" Usopp asked as he continued to push Ryu. Sweat rolled down his face from the sheer weight of the dragon.
"It might be the dragons' nest!" You tilt your head towards Usopp, who's face is drenched in sweat. He wasn't doing well by the looks of it.
"Usopp, we can handle it from here if you need to take a rest," You say gently. He slowly turns his head towards you, his eyes glimmering with hope. He looks behind at Nami then you, but you just nod with a wide smile across your lips. He stops pushing the cart to wipe off the sweat from his face and catch his breath. Your smile crossed his thoughts. The kindness and genuine joy. It was enough to cause his cheeks to flush. "Actually, all of you can let go."
"What do you mean, [Y/N]?"
"He's heavy...what do you have planned, [Y/N]-chan?"

"Heheheh~" You laughed mischievously to yourself. A dark aura covered your entire body. Usopp and Zoro exchanged looks before they took a step back. Sanji hesitated before he stood back also, and Luffy watched closely: you bent down, wrapping your hands underneath the massive cart and with one big lift, the cart slowly rose above your head. You managed to place your hands in the middle of the cart to keep it upright and have more control over it. Luffy looked in awe, starting to laugh in amusem*nt. Usopp was sweating even more, his eyes wide as he stared in surprise and slight fear. You could probably carry him quite easily, if he asked. Usopp shook his head from side-to-side, his cheeks darkening even more. Where did that come from all of a sudden?

"HEHEHEHE~ I AM CHAOS! FEAR ME MORTALS!"
"We already do," Usopp sweat dropped, watching with slight fear.
"That's my [Y/N]-chan~" Sanji gushed with heart-shaped eyes. Zoro stared on in admiration and awe. It made him want to spar with you even more: it felt like an ideal thought. You were strong, and so was he, so it just made him want to fight you even more. Ryu stayed quite still on the cart, even as you continued to walk forward along the path. Finally, after a little more walking, they got to the top. They stopped in front of a door with a blue image across it. A hum erupted from you as you took a step back: slowly, you slowly fell down onto the floor. The wood of one of the boards sliced against your hand, causing you to flinch at the wood rubbing against your bandages.

Without dropping the cart, you placed it down securely on the floor. The bandages were a little looser than before. You tilted your head to the side in slight annoyance, your eyes widening slightly. A trickle of blood ran down the bandages. Usopp poked his head up from the floor. "Did your bandages come loose?" You nod. He gets up off the floor, and gently takes your hand into his own, stroking his finger gently against your palm. His eyes trail over the bandages, which have loosened. He intricately tied the bandages securely once more, smiling at his handiwork as he slid his hands onto his hips. "There! Hopefully they don't come undone again or one of us will have to run to the ship and get the bandages!"

A glimmer sparkled within your eyes as you examined the bandages. It was so carefully, but intricately done. So neat. You poke at it a few times- Usopp was a handy person, and he had even mended your mask before...he was such an underrated sweetheart. Your eyes shone with tears; your cheeks puffed out a little bit, your face flushing a little with warmth and before you could stop yourself, tears began to comically flow down your face. Usopp froze at the sight of your tears and began to shake his hands from side-to-side as sweat rolled down his face. "[Y-Y/N]?! W-What's wrong?!"

"Y-You're so sweet!" Maybe it was also a build up of other circ*mstances, also, as your tears continued to flow down your cheeks as you sniffled. "Ahhhhh!"
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO [Y/N]-CHAN, USOPP?!" Sanji demanded with narrowed eyes, with fire blazing within them. Everyone watched on in slight confusion as you continued to cry. Even Apis frantically turned around, her mouth gaping in shock. "[Y/N], what's wrong?" She asked desperately, running up to you.
"I DON'T KNOW! I JUST STARTED CRYING AFTER REALIZING HOW SWEET USOPP IS!" You wrapped your hands around your head as more tears started to spill. Usopp's mouth gaped open and his cheeks darkened. Everyone turned around towards Usopp and sent a glare in his direction. All of a sudden, you threw your arms around Usopp's neck (almost causing him to fall over before he wrapped his arms around your waist) and started to gently pepper his face with kisses.

Usopp spluttered in surprise, his cheeks darkening after each kiss was pressed gently against his skin. Everyone was angry to say the least...

It didn't take long for you to calm down. When you did, you all stepped forward but before you could even blink, the floor shattered beneath your feet. You all fell to your deaths...

Everyone fell on top of the winding, massive branches. A massive description and image was spread across the ceiling of the massive area they had landed within: you awkwardly had fallen on top of Zoro, roaming his chest by accident with your hands as you attempted to feel your bearings. Your body was pressed against his, with your legs on either side of his body. Zoro's face was darkened bright red, burning across his face and the tips of his ears. He became more flustered by the second: he could feel you pawing your hands against his chest, feeling the softness of his chest. You squished them together without realising: the swordsman was unable to speak. He was left speechless.Wow, this is a hard, yet also soft surface...It took a second for you to look down-

When you did, you froze, your eyes widening slightly. Your mouth gaped open in shock and your face burned. "Z-Zoro? I-I'm so sorry!" You quickly got up off the man and took a few steps back. Everyone else had gathered in the middle, so you were left to face the embarrassed swordsman. "I-I am so sorry! I didn't mean to feel you up! I would never do that!" Zoro huffed to himself and got up. He turned around to see everyone else talking, minding their own business. They didn't seem to notice. So, he turned back around and started to step forward towards you.

You desperately put your hands up in mock surrender, your eyes widening as Zoro slammed his hands on either side of your head, leaning forward a little so his face was inches from your own. "Z-Zoro?"
"It's always you," He murmurs to himself under his breath. A gulp erupts from the back of your throat.
"Are you...ok?"
His eyes suddenly narrow even more, but before he can do anything, Sanji shouted, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING SO CLOSE TO [Y/N]-CHAN?!!" At the sound of the shout, you quickly turn your head towards Sanji, who's cheeks are flushed in anger, with his eyes narrowed, watching you both. Zoro scoffed, cursing under his breath. He quickly removed his hands and stuffed them into his pockets, and staggered towards everyone else.

Your hearts were beating faster against your chest. They became louder, the sound almost drumming in your ears: your hands nervously wrap around your chest, tapping your fingers against your shirt. Warmth spread across your cheeks and ears. Silence befell you as everyone was staring at the ceiling, analysing it for what it was. This seemed to be ruins left behind Apis' ancestors, a civilisation who left their home behind. But, you couldn't even focus on the interesting history of this place. The urge to have kissed Zoro while you had the chance was becoming imminent and the feel of Zoro's chest in your hands, and how they felt burned in your mind. As stronger urge sprang to mind: you wanted to squish and feel his chest in your hands...or feel the rest of his body. Your tail swished from side-to-side in excitement. You needed to get control of yourself. This happened, occasionally. It came in strong doses or were passed on as simple pains from scars. But, no. It was something else. Maybe it's what caused Fuji to want to sleep with Buggy in the first place.

The entrance had two pillars on either side, with cracks running along them from age. Moss covered them in patches, with winding, green plants wrapped around them. Whilst the ceiling had missing fragments, most of it was still in tact. A circle in the middle of the ceiling had small words carved into it: many other pictures were inscribed along it. It was an incredibly spacious area. The only history you knew most about was of your heritage. But, otherwise, it wasn't exactly lacking, but you did not know much as everyone else. Books were not exactly allowed in Masahiro's residence. Your heritage was a proud part of you, and you were slowly becoming more comfortable as your demon self. Still, there were lingering feelings of regret.

"Let's get the heck outta this place!"
"But this might be the dragons' nest!" Apis shouted as both her and Usopp glared into each other's eyes. Usopp rested his hands on his hips, a frown across his face. Luffy stood beside them, watching them silently as they argued.
"I don't see any dragons around here, do you?!"
"Hold on a second!" Nami shouted, staring up at the ceiling. "This might not be Lost Island..."

"See."
Apis' eyes narrowed as she turned her head around to face Usopp. "You don't even know the reason why! Quit making stuff up!"
"How can you tell, Nami?" Luffy asked. It was likely the inscriptions which gave her a faint idea, even if she could not read the writing finely cut into the ceiling.
"Look up." At her order, Luffy looked up to stare at the ceiling. "Look closely. It's a map that marks the location of Lost Island. That island with the dome-shaped island on it...That's this island. That dome is this building."
"It does look just like it..."
"And the people around the island are the people who once lived here. I'd wager they're probably Apis' ancestors." They all stared at the people around the dome-shaped building, Apis most of all.

"Our ancestors?"
Nami placed her hand on her hip and turned her head towards Luffy. "Say, do you remember what old man Bokuden told us?"
Luffy turned his head towards Nami. "Nope! I was asleep!"
Nami sighs, scratching the back of her neck in annoyance. Luffy did fall asleep like everyone else as Bokuden's tale had been too long to listen to. "Come on, now! He said the people of Warship Island had travelled there from another island."
You crossed your arms against your chest and stepped beside her. "Do you think they were originally from here? It would explain a lot." You ignored the stares from Zoro and Sanji, who seemed a little too interested in what was wrong.

"Probably," Nami folded her arms against her chest. "So what had me wondering were all the dragon statues and paintings on the way here. I think they might've been used by the people living on this island to worship the Millennial Dragon as a god. I bet the Millennial Dragon used to fly over this island long ago."
"I see. That would lower the chance of the dragons' nest being on this island."
"But...! If so, then where's the real one?!"
"Maybe it's near to the island you live on, Apis. If the Millennial Dragon flew over this island..." You tapped your finger against your cheek, then aggressively turned around, causing everyone to jump in surprise. "It could be the nest is hidden!!"

Nami sweat dropped, but laughed a little. "You could be right...what's going on with you today?"
"Am I being stranger than usual?" You ask, a smirk spreading across your lips as you lean and rest your head on Nami's shoulder. Nami's smile threatens to widen for a moment and she fights the urge to do so as her blush darkens across her cheeks. Jealously sparked due to the closeness of the pair: you stuff your hands into your pockets. Your lips linger against Nami's ear for a moment, before you whisper. "It's due to something. It's what you mortals call a period." You stand back up straight, eyes casting over Nami, who's face is darkened bright red, with her mouth gaped open. "For my kind, it's not a physical process. It...is chemical."

That was your way of saying your hormones were more potent. Demons (it depended on each demon) usually went through this process each month in order to be able to prioritise offspring, but not everyone wanted children, of course. No one was allowed to be forced into having a child if they didn't want to: they could get rid of the pregnancy if they so wished, and it was legal to do so.

Apis ran up to Ryu who lay against the crate. In her desperation, she asked, "Think back, Grandpa Ryu! Where is the dragons' nest?! We thought it was this place! But there's nothing here! There's only a painting, Grandpa Ryu! Does the painting bring back any memories?! Our only hope now is that you remember something, Grandpa Ryu! Come on! Please! Remember, Grandpa Ryu!" The old dragon slowly rose his head and blinked his golden eyes at the ceiling. Sunlight filtered from the window, trickling over everyone from above and a few green birds flapped their wings and flew through the air and as they flew over the dome-like painting on the ceiling. His eyes widened, glimmering brightly in recognition. Then, Warship Island flashed to mind, along with the faint memory of himself and other dragons flying towards Warship Island.

"Grandpa Ryu!"
"Alright! So the dragons' nest really is on Warship Island, then?!"
Apis turned around to face the pirate captain. Confusion spread across her face. "Eh?! How did you know what he said, Luffy?!"
"I just did."
"You're right. Grandpa Ryu said he remembered! He says the dragons' nest is on an island east of a peak that looks lime a warship..."
Usopp sighed. "Man! Why does say that only after we went through all that hardship to get here?!"

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry for dragging you all the way out here for something that might've already sunk into the ocean...It was all for nothing..." Apis lamented to herself.
Usopp placed his hands on his hips. "Not necessarily!" Apis turned around to face him. "Who knows? The dragons' nest could be somewhere unexpected! And there's no telling for sure without checking it out, right?!"
"That's right! Being discouraged this easily isn't like you, Apis!"
Sanji added, a cigarette resting between his fingers. "You'll never get anything done if you're afraid of failure."
"There's nothing wrong with living a roundabout life..."
"Sometimes you just have to go for it."

"Everyone..." Apis began, her eyes widening slightly from the praise and hope everyone exhibited. But, just as everyone was about to get ready to leave, Zoro wrapped his hand around one of his blades and your eyes narrowed slightly at the sudden signature.
"Is something wrong, Zoro?"
"Someone's here. With bloodlust."

"Thanks for the explanation. Now I know where to find Dragonite and the dragons' nest..." A man with curled, purple hair wearing glasses, wearing a white outfit with a large, purple collar, stared down at them all.
"You again?!"
"But there's no point if it's at the bottom of the ocean...So it would seem my only option is to take your Millennial Dragon."

Oh, this wouldn't do at all.

Chapter 25: Cuddles Instead of Sparring: Zoro [One-shot]

Chapter Text

No matter what you did, it always made him blush. The slightest touch made his heart beat faster, or his skin to burn red. Even when he tried to train with his sword or lift weights, you were on his mind often. It became annoying. It was true he was not used to feeling this way, but surely it wasn't anything special? It could just be he appreciated how strong you were. But, right now, he was watching as you spoke to Nami, your tail flickering from side-to-side in excitement, your [e/c] eyes shining brightly while you explain something in vivid detail. The training dummy you had been previously working on was behind you.

He crosses his arms against his chest. Of course he was unaware at first at what these feelings were. He had never quite experienced something like this before, after all. Zoro's life had been mostly revolved around training to be the best swordsman so he had no time to fall in love. Now? He had. You waved at Nami who soon left to take another look at the map as you turned back around, taking out your sword from your sheath. Zoro watches you closely as you, in the blink of an eye, slice your sword towards the training dummy and slices off its pretend limbs cleanly.

Zoro gets up after a while of watching you, taking a few steps forward with his arms still crossed against his chest. "[Y/N]." You turn to face him, your eyes sparkling. "Want to spar?"
"Sure," You grin, sliding your sword back into your sheath. "But, can you handle me?" The statement itself made him chuckle. He smirked, excited by the idea of sparring with you. The strength you were known for was exciting enough, but now he got to see it first hand. He was used to using a sword but sometimes, it was nice to know how to use self-defence also. After all, there could be time where he lost his swords and would need to use his fists. You jump suddenly onto his back, surprising him. He splutters in confusion, his cheeks burning. You wrap your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist: he turns around, slightly glaring at you for surprising him. All you can muster is a grin, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

"I thought we were gonna spar, [Y/N]."
"Maybe. But am I not allowed to cuddle my favourite swordsman?" Zoro blushes a little more, scoffing and turning away. Your soft skin nuzzled into his neck sent a thrill through his system. An intense need to feel you even more. He was ravenous for any touch you gave him, whether cuddling him or kisses. He just wanted you, but he barely knew how to function. "Zoro?"
"I'm fine." He folds his arms against his chest. This need to touch you even more was becoming extreme.

You kiss his cheek, snuggling against his warmth. Your kisses against his skin feels natural- he groans, raising his hand to pat your head, sweeping his fingers through your hair. Your hair twirls around his fingers, sighing to himself as he stares at the sea. He isn't used to allowing himself to be this soft, or show you such affection. But he wanted to and he didn't care anymore.

"Want more kisses, my strong swordsman?" He huffs, scowling. He doesn't decline. So, you drop down onto your feet and cup his face in your hands, staring into his eyes fondly. He stares back and blushes. Even he can't stop his face from darkening as you begin peppering his face with kisses, taking time with each one.

He didn't want to admit it, but he definitely wanted more.

Chapter 26: Chapter 21: Showdown in the Ruins! And, Finding the Nest!

Chapter Text

Current Arc:Warship Island Arc

"No!" Apis shouted. "Besides, we don't know if their nest is on the ocean bottom or not!"
"He said he had Sickle-Sickle Fruit powers, if I recall..." Sanji spoke with a cigarette resting between his teeth, with smoke rising from the blazing, red end. Zoro looked up at the man, his eyes narrowed onto him. "Hey, Luffy. You go on ahead and take Grandpa Ryu to the ship!" He suddenly grins, turning his head towards Luffy. "I'll catch up with you later." A smile spread across your lips at the sight of the pair- they knew what the other was thinking and you could tell just from a few glances alone, they knew each other more than anyone else would ever dream to.

"I'll stay with Zoro. Not that he needs any additional help," You cross your arms against your chest, grinning at the blush spreading across Zoro's face.
"We don't know where the exit is!" Apis spoke as she watched over Ryu. Luffy placed his hands on his hips. "Then we can just...make one!" That didn't sound like it would end well. Luffy runs forward full speed into the wall head first, falling back harshly with a grunt onto his back. His head had a forming red spot from the impact. He scratches his head, puffing out his cheeks slightly as he stares at the wall. "Huh? I thought that would bust it open, but..." While the wall in front of him didn't shatter, the wall beside him began to erode away before it shattered completely, throwing up dirt and fragments of stone. Everyone blankly stared.

"Let's go, Apis!" Luffy heads back towards Apis, likely to help her with Ryu. The weird man jumped down shouting "Oh, no, you don't!", ready to slash before Zoro intercepted him. Luffy was staring at the wall mural, taking in each vivid detail describing how life used to be for Apis' ancestors. Even as Zoro was in the middle of fighting against this weird man with his swords, their Captain stared at the mural. But, after some thought, it doesn't take Luffy long (as Nami, Apis, Sanji and Ryu stayed on the cart) to pull them through the empty gap and begin running towards their ship, flying through the air as they narrowly avoided getting thrown at the wall. Which left Zoro and you to fight off this man with a weird, purple curl as hair. "Damn you! Get in my way and you'll pay!"

"So let's see how you plan on making me pay!" They both jumped back. The man slashed his hands in Zoro's direction, shouting "Sickle-Sickle Wind Slash!", as a curved, blue piece of light was sent towards Zoro. He managed to bend down in time to miss as the sickle slashed through a piece of rubble, slicing clean through. "What was that?"
"Likely his Devil Fruit. Definitely suits the dumb name," You say, running towards the man and jumps, twirling through the air before slamming your foot down towards him. He dodged in time, causing the ground beneath you to begin cracking. The weird man started to run towards the self-made entrance, making you growl in annoyance. "I have no time to be playing with you. My only goal is that Millennial Dragon!"

He jumps down, coaxing both you and Zoro to follow, jumping down and landing on the long roots. Zoro has some issues sliding down the roots while holding his sword, but you appear to simply slide down, jumping over Zoro as he goes. You look back, snorting. "You doing ok, Zoro?"
He scoffs. "I'm fine. Just focus on stopping him." You nod, grinning. Before long, you all land on solid ground.

"Over there, eh?" The weird man grins. You stand a few feet behind him, your tail flickering from side-to-side. A snarl erupts from your lips, signalling your presence. He turns around, feeling slight fear upon the resentment he feels bleeding from you, the very horror trapped in your eyes, beckoning his silence. Even Zoro jumps down and lands on top of one of the broken buildings, holding his swords close. Zoro says, "Sorry, I can't let you pass here." The man is left, trapped, between two fearsome opponents. He grits his teeth in response. "Whatever. It's up to me whether I pass or not. Out of my way!" He throws his hand towards Zoro, sending up dust and small fragments of rubble. An almost invisible sickle slices towards the swordsman: he jumps down, dodging another attack sent his way.

The weird man runs over the top of the buildings and you quickly follow. "Get back here!" You shout, but upon seeing Zoro running below, he sends another sickle attack, slicing through a tree branch perfectly. It falls, but before it falls on top of Zoro, you jump down and throw him out the way, holding him by his waist. Using magic of any sort would be a bad idea, as due to your current period (an annoying time to gain one), your magic would be out of control and cause you to go into a frenzy. Somehow, you would be more dangerous. Without realising it, you pinned Zoro against the wall, pressing your body against his. He could feel your warmth, and your chest pressed against him. His heart was beating faster, his face burning bright red.

This wasn't the best time for his emotions to get out of control, or for him to experience them so vividly. But...your touch made his heart beat faster, his skin burn at the slightest touch you allowed him. His eyes explored each detail of your face, of your expression, of the slightest thing you did. Such as when your eyes sparkled when you were planning something. You stared off into the distance, trying to think of a plan in your mind, not realising what you were doing. The way you pressed against his chest, your hands brushing against his hips...it sent his mind into overdrive.

It wasn't the best time, exactly. Especially when you were both trying to stop this man.

"[Y/N]..."
"Yeah, Zoro?" You turn towards him, then look down, realising your hands are pressed against his chest. Again. It was in the exact some spot as before- you could feel how defined, yet soft his chest was. A blush creeped across your face as you stayed frozen there, hands pressed against his chest, squishing them together slightly. "O-Oh..." Zoro silently grabbed hold of the sword between his teeth. His hand cupped your face. You looked up. His eyes narrowed through yours and he leaned down and before you could react, he pressed his lips against yours. Your eyes widened in surprise from the sudden kiss, frozen where you stood. After a few moments, he broke the kiss and placed his sword back to rest between his teeth. Zoro watched the strange man before picking up a stick from the ground and threw it, sending it hurtling into his leg, knocking him forward. While the kiss had caught you off guard, now was not the time to dwell on it. You had a job to do- Apis and Ryu were more important. With that thought, you shook off the effects of the kiss. The thoughts would dwell and would surely resurface again.

The man falls forward dramatically, falling from a great height, sprawling his limbs awkwardly at an angle. You jump down on all fours, slowly rising to your feet as your tail swished dangerously. Demon or beast, who was to say? A growl erupted from your throat, eyes narrowing through the man's. A darkness seeped from your body of malice and wrath: shadows coiled around your body, causing your shadow to flicker and burn around you on the ground below. "I won't allow you to upset Apis, or pass." Zoro jumped down, pointing his blade at the man in question. "I told you I'm not going to let you pass. Just stay right there." But as Zoro turned around after hearing a noise from down below, the man picked up some sand and threw it in his face.

Zoro covers his eyes in surprise, gasping as the grains of sand got into his eyes. "Zoro, are you ok?" You ask, turning around to face him as worry spread across your face. The weird man, known as Eric, began to stand up back onto his feet. "I told you not to get into my way! Now die like a good boy!" That sentence did make snort, however.
"What a dirty trick, you bastard!" You sped forward, dodging the sickles he sent in your direction- you roll to the side before getting up on all fours, a snarl erupting from your throat. You were becoming more feral as time went by: the fact you were on your period, which was dangerous for demons to have regardless, was becoming more evident. The dark look in your eyes, the snarls animalistic in nature and now the way you fought. It had no direction to it. It was frenzied and out of control. Which would become even worse if you used a sword and magic was out of the question.

Honestly, you should have stayed on the ship.

All of a sudden, Luffy's voice could be heard. "Zoro!" You blink in confusion as you see Luffy stretching his arm and grabbing hold of his shirt. Sweat rolled down Zoro's face at the realisation. "No, not this pattern..."
You stared blankly. "Rest in piece, or pieces." You grin as Zoro narrows his eyes at you, his eyes glaring through yours while a chesire cat smile spread across your lips. Zoro flies backwards, shouting "I told you to stop doing this!" while he flew towards the ship. "Have fun- OH f*ck!" Just before he flew off, he grabbed hold of your leg, causing you to fall onto your back with a harsh THUMP! You both fly backwards towards the ship, you shouting a string of curses as you were upside down in the air. You both tumble into the ship.

A little bit later, the Going Merry makes its way through the invisible barrier, peaking its head through before fully emerging. They sailed forward with the Marines following them at a distance. Usopp watched them. "They'll never catch up with us!"
Nami had her arms crossed against her chest. "The Going Merry is faster and more agile than bulky Navy warships, but what are we going to do when we get to Warship Island?!"
Luffy was sat on Going Merry's head, grinning. "We'll be ok!"
"How will we be okay?!" As Luffy and Nami were arguing, you were glaring at Zoro, tempted to bite him. He looked away (not sure what you were angry about. He had kissed you but also had grabbed your leg) as sweat rolled down his face. He was stood at the back of the ship with his arms crossed against his chest while you were stood on the railing of the ship on all fours, glaring at him.

"Are you going to keep glaring at me?" Zoro huffed. Although, he would rather you were pissed with him then to be thinking about your father. In response, your eyes glowed with magic, your tail twisting around the railing as though it was alive. "Yeah, got a problem?" You growl. But, something was amiss. You looked up and see the massive Marine warship with a golden face on the front with fangs and white eyes, followed by a smaller Marine warship which was blue with massive sails. That was Hotaru and Eichi's ship: numerous others sailed from behind and began to sail on either side. "Is this for reals?!"
"Just how many ships does the damn navy have?!"

The smaller ships spread out across the sea in front of them, as black chains spread out across which made a barrier they could not cross. "What now? They have us blocked off!"
Usopp crossed his arms against his chest, smiling. "Jump onto a ship, kick the guys off, and cut the links! That's the only choice, obviously!"
Apis turned towards Usopp, smiling wide. "Wow! You can do that, Usopp?!" As they discussed how to break the links blocking them off from continuing their journey forward, Hotaru's ship was the only ship free from helping to form the barricade. It was headed towards them. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji jumped onto the ships, while you watched Hotaru's ship for a moment.

You turn to Nami. "I'll deal with this ship. You can count on me." Nami crosses her arms against her chest, her eyebrows furrowing in worry. There was a strange look to your eyes, one which frightened her slightly. Before she could respond, you jump from off of the railing into the sea below. You land, your feet pressed against the water's surface. You began to run towards Hotaru's warship, sending droplets of water everywhere: with one gigantic leap, you landed on Hotaru's ship on both feet. Numerous marines unsheathed their swords and pointed them at you, ready to attack on command. Hotaru's eyes narrow through yours, taking her time stepping down the steps with Eichi by her side following her like a loyal dog. She extends out her arms dramatically, a smirk spreading across her lips at the sight of you. "My, my. How lovely to see you again. Trying to go back to Warship Island, are we?" Eichi remained silent standing by her side, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his blade. "I can't remember inviting you onto my ship."

"You know, just going for a leisurely stroll. It's quite nice. At least until I came upon you, Lieutenant Hotaru." Hotaru scoffed, wrapping her own hand around her sword and unsheathes it, allowing the sun to kiss against the light blue blade, causing the golden letters across the sword to glow. Slowly, you unsheathe one of your own blades, pointing it towards Hotaru but this simple action caused Eichi to unsheathe his own as fast as lightning and point it at your throat. The blade tore a little into your neck the more pressure he added: he watched silently, his expression not changing but his eyes sparkled with guilt as a small droplet of black blood dripped down your neck. A dark smirk spread across Hotaru's lips at the sight. "Is that blood I see? And here I thought your skin was tougher than that." Your tail swished dangerously at her comment, your gaze hardening. "As much as I'd like to fight you myself, Eichi would be better suited for someone like you."

"I'm here to fight you, not him."
"I don't care." Hotaru's smirk widens. She clicks her fingers, motioning for Eichi to begin. The other Marines lower their swords and take a few steps back at Hotaru's command. Eichi removes the blade from your neck to instead point it towards you, his eyes narrowed on yours. A sigh erupted from you: he sped forward, slashing the sword in your direction. You deflect his attack, grunting in response as he begins a continuous assault of slashing the blade towards you. You roll over to the side, dodging his attack while laying against the ship. Eichi throws down the point of the blade, embedding it in the wood beside your head. His eyes lingered on your face, taking in each detail. There was something dark to his gaze, something unrecognisable. He wanted to say something but nothing could escape.

He didn't want this. Maybe he didn't show it in his expression but it was clear in his eyes. "Eichi, I know you don't want to do this. Please, fight. I left you and I'm sorry. I should have helped you."
His eyes soften. He says something in a whisper that only you can hear, "It wasn't your fault. I don't blame you. I want to be as strong as you." A small smile spreads across his face before it disappears once again, turning into a hard expression. You rolled to the side and eventually got up, unaware of Hotaru standing behind you.

You gasp in surprise as Hotaru puts the sword through you from behind through your side, so it sliced all the way through your flesh. Black blood poured down from the wounds, dripping down your clothes and soaking through. A snarl erupted from your throat and you turned your head towards Hotaru- eyes blazing with magic and causing Hotaru's expression to morph into one of fear- she takes a step backwards in fear. Your tail swishes around dangerously, a snarl erupting from your lips as you jump off the ship into the sea below. The Marines watch in fear as a smirk spreads across your lips. You say,"Thanks for the sword, bitch,"before raising your hand into the air, your eyes glowing darkly and without a sword, a wave begins to manifest behind you, growing more and more in height. Your head grotesquely cracks to the side, emitting a crack and weird, numbing pain through your body. With a click of your fingers, the wave gushes towards the ship and knocks into it, sending it hurtling across the sea over a hundred miles away.

Eichi, I hope you can get out of this. You deserve the world.

It doesn't take you long for you to jump back into the ship, landing on both feet. That was until the Going Merry was sent off to its side by the multiple sickles sent towards the ship. You fall forward suddenly, wrapping your hands around the railing of the ship to steady yourself. Eric stood on a rowing boat with his arms crossed against his chest, with two Marines rowing it towards Ryu. The rowing boat hit against the cart holding Ryu, spraying water everywhere. "That scared me!" Apis shouted as she looked up, eyes widening at surprise at Eric. She points at him. "You're the Sicko Sicko Fruit guy!"
He frowns. "Not "Sicko." The Sickle-Sickle Fruit!" Usopp and Nami watch. "Girl! It's time to hand over the Millennial Dragon!"

"I was only gone for a moment," You say, peering over the railing beside Nami. "Oh, it's him." You stared blankly, watching the scene.
"YOU HAVE A SWORD THROUGH YOUR SIDE!" Usopp shouts in horror at the sight, his eyes almost bursting out of his eye sockets. Nami turned and looked down, a look of horror spreading across her face.
"Yes, it was a gift from my old friend Hotaru. Isn't it lovely?" A sickly sweet smile spread across your face. Nami exchanged looks with Usopp, then stared at you. You were simply just standing there with the sword through your side. "'Tis but a scratch!"

You climbed onto the railing to get a better look of the people down below. Eric smirked at them all. "Fools. I made that wind slash just now miss on purpose..." Nami's expression morphed into one of surprise. "Get in my way, and this time I won't miss! I'll blow your entire ship apart!"
"Yrt ti!"[1]You shout, wrapping your hand around the hilt of the sword in your side. Painfully, you took it out of your side, flinching a little at the blood pouring from your wound. It would have simply hurt a little but since this was Hotaru's sword, it had the ability of making anyone burn upon making contact with it. Raising it high up into the air, you threw it down violently: Usopp and Nami watched silently as it flew and landed inches away from Eric.

He shouted in surprise, taking a step back as he wrapped his hand around the front of his shirt to calm himself down. The Marines who were in the boat stared at the sword in fear."Uoy erad truh meht dna L'li llik uoy!" [2]The Marines began to cut off the ropes connecting the cart to the Going Merry. They couldn't do anything as they started to row away with Ryu and Apis connected in the cart. "You fight dirty! Give Apis back!"

As cannon balls tried to hit against the rowing boat connected to the cart (due to Eric's betrayal), Apis frowned at Eric. "I'm begging you! Please don't harass Grandpa Ryu any more! He hasn't done anything wrong!"
Eric turns around, smirking. "Be quiet." He starts to climb up the boat. Tears pout down Apis' face as she shouts, "I have to take him to the dragons' nest right away! So please stop this!" Eric grabs hold of Apis by her collar, as she tries to get away. "Listen, girl. You're a hostage. And I'm taking the Millennial Dragon."
She continues trying to get away, shouting in disagreement. She would never allow for Ryu to be taken away. But, Ryu just stared. His large, golden eyes watched Eric hold Apis by the scruff of her neck, no thoughts in his mind. But, when Eric throws her into the rowing boat aggressively after she bites him, his eyes train on him.

He raises from the cart, his entire body rising so he stood on his feet, his wings curled into him as he stared down at Eric. Eric was left unaware of the dragon's presence, but the Marines in the boat shrieked in surprise, fear in their eyes. They soon ran away, leaving Eric alone to turn around. Ryu knocked him with his wing, sending him flying out of the boat: the elder dragon ignored the sound of cannon fire in the distance, along with the water gushing upwards from each cannon ball landing in the water. He stared into the rowing boat at Apis, remembering fond memories of Apis taking care of him. This gives him the strength he needs.

As a ear-splitting shriek erupts from Ryu, he throws up his green and black wings. It sounded much like a call, a shout. Everyone covered their ears.

He stops all of a sudden, causing the waves to calm down once again. Apis stands back up, her eyes lighting up in happiness at Ryu. She hugs his snout. "Grandpa Ryu! You can move! That's great! What?" Ryu started to flap his wings and he slowly rose into the air. The tender moment was short-lived as the cannons started to fire at the elder dragon. Tears ran down Apis' face. "Grandpa Ryu! Run! Run to where the cannons can't reach you!" Luffy threw his arm back before smashing it into one of the ships, followed by Zoro and Sanji who made quick work of the Marines. But, the main ship began to fire cannon balls at Ryu, along with the rowing boat. But, even despite Apis' calls, Ryu begins flying towards the main warship even as it continued to shoot at the elder dragon. Ryu opened his mouth and a ear-splitting shriek erupted from his mouth: before long, the constant shots from the cannons cause him to fall into the open water. His green feathers were scattered across the open water around his fallen body.

Luffy throws himself high into the air and lands on Ryu. He quickly runs a little forward, carefully pressing his hand against the elder dragon's neck. "Grandpa Ryu! Hang in there! Hey, now! What are you saying?! Don't talk about dying!" Ryu's eye trains on Luffy. "Yeah. I know. I will save Apis! And take you to the dragons' nest. So try hard to stay alive!"
"I think he is." You spoke from behind Luffy, causing him to turn around. Luffy stares at you in confusion.

A harpoon is suddenly fired from the main warship and it flies towards Ryu. You stare for a moment, slowly unsheathing your sword. Your [e/c] eyes burn immensely: you speed forward, ignoring the burning pain in your side from the wound in your side, but you ignore it. Instead, you grit your teeth, eyes narrowed, and in the blink of an eye, your sword slices through the harpoon. The fragments fall into the water, sending up droplets of water: Luffy's eyes widen at the sight of the bleeding wound. You remain standing on Ryu in front of Luffy, your hand outstretched to the side, your sword in your other hand. "Let's end this once and for all. Ryu is not an object. Your ship on the other hand? It will become nothing more than a historical site beneath the waves."

Slowly, you placed your sword back into your sheath. You tilted your head towards Luffy, smiling softly. "Can you make sure no cannon balls distract my concentration? I'm going to make sure we end this." Luffy grins, nodding. Your eyes flutter closed and you extend your arms above your head, eyes glowing. Each drop, each wave of the sea could be felt through your veins, a sense of coldness ran along your skin in contrast to the burning sensation of the wound along your side: the waves, previously calm and docile, began to rise further and further, becoming more violent as they rose higher. But, something else began to stir beneath the sea. You could feel it. The outline of an island beginning to ascend. Using magic was also dangerous for you right now.

Your eyes open and the magic immediately fades, the sea returning to its previous, docile self. Ryu's body becomes too heavy as he slowly succumbs to death, slowly descending as Luffy tried to lift him up. Cannon balls were still sent in their direction and landed in the water. Ryu raised his head and let out a shriek of his own. Luffy grinned. "I see! You have dear friends of your own, too!"

In the distance, countless dragons alike Ryu flew towards them before soon flying overhead. Ryu raised his head and bellowed one last time before collapsing into the water. Luffy smiled as he listened to Ryu's words. "Yeah! I know! I promise I'll tell Apis!" He closed his eyes as he lay there, succumbing to death finally. Luffy takes one glance towards the main warship then threw himself upwards. He wrapped his arm around one of the dragons, raises his leg into the air then throws it down towards the main warship. It breaks in two immediately. Water sprinkles across all the ships on everyone from above as the pieces of the ship falls to the bottom of the sea. Luffy raises himself from the ruins of the ship. The dragons circle overhead, while the warships collide into each other.

You step onto the open water, slowly stepping towards the Going Merry. You grab the ladder and begin climbing before stepping onto the ship. Apis cried at the front of the ship for Ryu, her eyes clouding with tears as they ran down her face. Without a word, ignoring the worried stares of everyone examining your side, you wrapped your arms around Apis and guided her to rest her head against your chest. She nuzzled against you, crying as cold tears drenched your clothes but you didn't mind- you stroked her back in slow, gentle motions. "He is where he needs to be." Your tail swishes across the boat. "He has finally reached the nest."

She looks up at you with wide eyes. "H-He has?"
A smile spread across your face as you wiped away her tears trailing down her cheeks. "We couldn't find the nest as it has been underneath the sea the entire time. His dream has finally come true, all thanks to you, little one." Another earthquake began to shake them once again. Luffy walked up behind them both. "[Y/N] is right. Grandpa Ryu's wish came true. Can't you hear the Millennial Dragons' voices?" All of a sudden the dragons all bellow together while encircling overhead, sending out a wave powerful enough to nearly knock them all of their feet. An island soon began to surface.

Nami looked over the side of the ship, shouting in realisation. "So that's what it meant! The dragons' nest really is here! They're not called "Millennial Dragons" because of their life spans! It's because they come to this island only once every 1,000 years!" The rocks rising from the water rose up the warships. "Millennial Dragons are migratory! And it's by no coincidence that they've all flocked here now! It's no wonder they call it Lost Island! Because it only surfaces once every 1,000 years! So of course no one today remembers the last time it surfaced! And now...this very moment...is when the dragons' nest has appeared!"

Apis soon ran off towards Ryu laying in the water. She rushed towards him but he didn't respond. The crew stared around and took in the island, paying attention to the dragon-shaped rocks: the nest was also a dragon graveyard. It was a ground of death and rebirth: when a death occurred, a birth was sure to follow. Ryu may have died, but, he was born again as within an egg. Underneath one of the dragon shaped rocks, with its wing draped over it, a blue egg was kept beneath it. It slowly began to crack and break away to reveal a baby dragon: it was Ryu, reborn. Its eyes were closed, its body covered by light green feathers. The other dragons swarmed the baby, one touching the baby with its snout.

The baby dragon opened its eyes, staring directly at Apis. It screeched, and that's when Apis knew this was Ryu, reborn. Her eyes clouded over with tears, dripping down her face. "Yeah! Yeah!" After staring at the little dragon for a little bit more, Apis climbed back up towards the group. "You know, Apis. This isn't just a Millennial Dragon graveyard. I think it's a place that connects to new life."
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Eh?"
"For bringing Grandpa Ryu back to the dragons' nest. I realize it now too. I realize what kind of place this is, and why Grandpa Ryu wanted to return here so badly."

After a small thank you to Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats, they start heading back towards the ship to return to Warship Island. No elixir could likely be extracted from these dragon-shaped rocks. A dream within a dream, that's all it was.

What caught everyone off guard was the sudden attack from above on the cliff, followed by Eric straightening his hair as he stood at the top. Except, what no one expected was for you to appear behind him in the blink of an eye, with your sword pressed against his neck. Sweat rolled down Eric's face at the coldness of the blade pressed against his neck. He gulped, feeling your darkened presence behind him (your body bled with malice and wrath, eyes bore onto him as they judged each action he took.) He didn't dare move. His eyes looked downwards, seeing the puddle of blood forming underneath his feet. It trailed from your side wound. It was black blood, thinner than oil, darker than coal.

"I wouldn't if I were you.Not if you want to lose that head of yours."He shuddered.

"[Y/N]." The familiar voice confused you for a moment. You turned around. That was your first mistake. A fist came flying towards you: as the fist connects to your face, you are thrown backwards and roll down the hill. Your body curls into itself, your arms covering your face as your body continued to roll down the hill. The sharp surface of the hill tears into your skin and clothes- everyone's eyes widen as they watch it happen and after recovering from the shock, Luffy ran forward and caught you in his arms. He wrapped his arms around your stomach, pressing you protectively against his chest. Zoro and Sanji glared angrily at the perpetrator: Zoro unsheathed his sword, while Sanji placed a cigarette between his lips. They both radiated anger, and Luffy himself was no different. Your entire body was covered in scratches and bruises, tearing into your skin and allowing blood to leak while pieces of clothing were torn off.

"Lieutenant Hotaru was correct, it appears," A booming voice full of authority shouted from upon the top of the hill, from beside Eric. Eric himself seemed to curl into himself, beads of sweat rolling down his face as he took a step back as the menacing figure of Masahiro. He stood with his arms crossed against his chest, his eyes narrowed onto them all. "Running riot, destroying an entire Marine fleet?!" He scoffs to himself. "You're just the disappointment I thought you were. Looks like I didn'tbeatit into you properly enough on how to act."

A droplet of blood drips down your nose in a single droplet, trailing down your [s/t] skin like ink on a page, falling and falling until it landed on the ground below. The drop landed in a tiny puddle, soon occupied by more falling drops. You stared absent-mindedly at the puddle, the pain in your face from the punch sending an unpleasant sensation through you. The scar along your face began to burn as memories, similar to your current experience, began to flicker into perspective.

Luffy still had his arms wrapped around you, eyes narrowed onto Masahiro. Even if he didn't understand everything, or every issue you had in relation to your father, he knew enough to see what a bastard he was. Apis' eyes widened in fear at the sight, her eyes prickling with tears. She blinked, taking in each pained detail of your expression, from the docile sparkle in your eyes, to the way you remained emotionless as your tail flickered in an effort to show you were still alive. You raise your head, blinking at Nami as she attempts to soothe Apis, while Usopp stares fearfully. Even he, as cowardly as he could be, felt immense anger. He was shaking where he stood behind Zoro and Sanji.

"Apis..." You manage, outstretching your hand towards her. A shaky smile spreads across your lips. Apis continues to cry, sniffling to herself. "Hey, hey. Don't cry, I'm fine." The light in your eyes shine even brighter. Apis quietly steps towards you and takes your outstretched hand into her own, squeezing it.
"B-But...you're hurt!" She sniffles as more tears roll down her face. She then sees the massive wound in your side. "More hurt...how did that happen?!"
"Just a present from an old friend." You grin cheekily, causing a small smile to spread across the young girl's face. "It's gonna be a nice scar so I guess I'll be adding it to my scar collection."

Apis snorts, before bursting into laughter between her snorts and tears. "I-I shouldn't laugh!" Apis' laughter causes even Nami to smile a little. "Hey, someone isn't a pirate if they don't have a few scars or so. Physical or mental."
"Then, you're the best pirate of them all!" Apis grins with a much happier expression. You smile at her gently. The atmosphere feels light. Until, Sanji and Zoro are thrown backwards and land harshly against the dragon-shaped rocks. Sanji coughs up blood, yelling in pain while Zoro's eyes narrow as he falls down on his side.

"Did you know demons have a way to knock them out without having to use excessive force? And I don't have time to use excessive force, as fun as it may be," Masahiro muses, taking a few steps down the hill towards them all. Your eyes widen in fear, staring at the two men groaning to themselves. Masahiro was too powerful. As strong as Zoro and Sanji were, they could not defeat Masahiro. No one could.
"You...all need to leave. Now. Take Apis back to Warship Island. I'll..." The rest cannot escape from you. For all you knew, this could be the last time you saw them all. After all, Masahiro had a way to bend you to his will.
"What? No! We aren't leaving you here with him!"
"You're not safe here!" You shouted with desperation, tears beginning to cloud your vision. They needed to get out of here. You would rather lay down your life then have anyone die here and especially for Apis to see anymore violence.

Usopp furrows his eyebrows, unsure of what to say. Nami opened her mouth to say something but nothing could escape. She looked over to Zoro and Sanji, hoping they would wake up and do something...but, they had been knocked out. Luffy's eyes were narrowed onto Masahiro.
"Luffy, please. You can't-" Before you could finish your sentence, Masahiro appeared in front of you, casting a shadow over your body due to his height. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed hold of your throat. Luffy tried to grab hold of you from his hold but, Masahiro's body (and yours) became water.

The liquid left behind soon began to slither back to his ship- Nami, Usopp, Apis and Luffy looked around in confusion and anger, unsure of what had just happened. Masahiro began to emerge from the puddle, his body becoming solid once again, as he moved up along the ship as though liquid: he became whole once again at the top of his ship, grasping your throat as he stared down at the Straw Hats, your family. His eyes narrowed onto them in disgust. His tone was commanding and left no room to be questioned. "Don't come for her. Or else you'll make enemies of the government." Masahiro's eyes glowed dangerously. "She isn't worth the hassle for miscreants such as yourselves." With that, he turned around. His hand grasped your throat, forcing a pained groan from your lips. You tried to scratch at his arms as tears trailed down your cheeks in desperation.
"Please don't take her away!" Apis shouts in desperation.

The Marines held the cannons and aimed them at the Straw Hats, ready to fire if they made one false move. Apis gasped at the sight, taking a few steps back as Nami wrapped her arms around her. Luffy took a step forward as though he was readying himself for an attack. "Don't...! Please!" You managed as blood gurgled in your throat. "Apis shouldn't see more violence!" You stare at Luffy, catching his gaze. His narrowed eyes soften but it causes his heart to twist unpleasantly. He couldn't move, not at the desperation in your tone. His hands clenched against his sides. Even now, you didn't think about yourself. That's...what made him love you.

Nami watched with her hands pressed against her mouth, her eyes widening in sadness at the sight: she felt defenceless, she felt weak. She could not do anything. The pain in her heart from the view of you being treat so roughly, and as Masahiro's ship began to sail away with you. It hurt. This was supposed to end on a happy note. What happened?

The Straw Hats and Apis were left to stare after the ship.

"She..." Usopp began. "[Y/N] didn't want Apis to see more violence?" No one said anything for a moment, but Apis sniffled, taking hold of Usopp's hand into her own, crying to herself. She rested her head against his side. "I...didn't get to thank her...for everything."
Luffy's entire body shook with anger. "This isn't the end."

No, it wasn't.

Next Arc: Reverse Mountain & Unseen Demon Arc

Chapter 27: Author's Announcement <33

Chapter Text

Hello my sinners! Not a chapter, I'm afraid. But it is an update:

For the time being, I will be editing chapters. After looking back on my work, I am not happy with its quality.

So, edits will be made, and possibly more content will be added.

I am NOT discontinuing this.

I have a chapter in the works, but I want to focus on editing first.

You will get a new chapter.

Eventually.

Love you guys,

- your author, Bee