Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece

Start

"Damn it!" I heard someone curse.

Laughter exploded from one side of the room, I turned my head and saw a group of men playing cards. I snorted and returned my attention to the book in front of me. It seemed that the regular friday night crowd had decided to come to the bar in hopes of drinking the chill from their bones. I looked up when I heard the door open and found a group of men in white boiler suits enter. They looked around for a few moments before going to the booth closeby. I noted that there were eight in all and all of them wore hats. An interesting group, but not interesting enough to hold my attention. I turned my gaze back to my book as a waitress walked over to the group. I almost jumped out of my skin when a hand settled on my head and a warm voice asked, "Reading again?"

I lifted my hand up and removed the one on my head as I said, "Kuro keep your hands off me."

"Don't be like that," I looked up at him as he pouted down at me with slightly narrowed green eyes, "You don't even say hello,"

"Hello Kuro," I drawled with slight monotone, "Leave me alone,"

He rolled his eyes and sat down across from me, "C'mon Storm don't be like that!"

I rolled my eyes and picked up my book again as the door opened, "Kuro what do you want?"

"I want your help," He said causing me to sigh.

"I am not going to take out another group of people you've ripped off," I turned to another page, "It's your own problem,"

"I didn't rip anyone off this time!" He near shouted causing me to look at him with a raised eyebrow over my book.

"Oh really?" I didn't both trying to keep the disbelief from my tone.

"I didn't rip off anyone," He glared at me, "Why do you always assume that I do?"

"Because that's all you do," I deadpan before sighing and marking my page, "What did you do this time?"

He beamed at me as I placed my book on the table, "Okay so I was walking on one of the walkways in the Bakers district-"

"Which you've been banned from doing after getting caught stealing cookies," I reminded him with a sigh.

"Anyway!" He blushed darkly causing the freckles on his face to stand out, "I was walking one of the walkways when I came across something interesting,"

"Something interesting?" He nodded and I shook my head, "Kuro if you just wanted me to listen to another one of your crackpot theories, I'm not going to let you drag me into i-"

"Let me finish!" He cut me off as he slammed his palm into the smooth wood of the table, "I saw something-"

"The lad probably saw his own shadow!" Someone shouted causing laughter to roar through the room.

"No I didn't!" Kuro denied with anger in his voice making my eyes narrow, "I swear I saw something!"

I grabbed Kuro by the front of his jacket and dragged him back down to the table. He let out a yelp and glared at me while opening his mouth. I covered his mouth before he could speak and leaned forward. His eyes widened as I got closer causing me to roll my eyes. I asked softly, "Kuro what did you see?

I knew that asking questions might just lead to a night in the local jail again, but for some reason Kuro really believed he saw something. While normally I wouldn't put any stock into the idiots babbling, he looked really serious. I uncovered his mouth and he murmured, "I saw paw prints. Giant paw prints."

"What type of animal?" I asked.

"Cat," He replied and immediately caused me to frown.

"Cat?" I repeated.

"Yeah giant cat paw prints," He nodded to himself and I released him.

With a sigh, I took a drink from my glass and contemplated what to do as I asked, "Why do you need my help?"

"I want to see what those paw prints belong to," I closed my eyes and counted to ten, "If it's a giant cat, I want to know what it's doing here,"

I waited for him to continue only to get silence from him. I opened my eyes and found him staring at me with wide, pleading eye prompting me to ask, "What exactly are you expecting me to do?"

"Talk to it duh," My eyebrow twitched at that, "You're a cat, so you can-"

"I can turn into a cat not understand them," I deadpan with a slight growl.

"Oh," He looked at the table for a moment before brightening, "If the cats male, you can lure it away! A giant cat has no place in a city-"

I grab him by the front of his jacket and slam his head into the table. I held it there as he squeaked and struggled. I placed my free hand on his head as I removed my hand from his jacket. My hand on his head slowly grew larger and changed into the paw of a snow leopard. He stopped struggling the instant he saw me extend my claws. I spoke softly as I stared down at his shocked green eyes, "Kuro you do not say things like that about me. I maybe able to turn into a cat, but I am not actually a fucking cat. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes!" He squeaked and I withdrew my paw as it changed back into a hand.

"Good boy," I grabbed my book, "Oh and pay for my tab will ya?"

"S-sure," I turned and began to walk out of the bar.

I paused by the door when I felt eyes on my back. I turned my head slightly and found my eyes locked with a pair of cloud grey eyes. My heart began to beat a little bit faster at the sight of those eyes and the darkness inside of them. My gaze was torn from those eyes as the door opened. I shook my head lightly and left the bar behind as I slipped through the open door with a muttered, "Thanks."

I felt my lips twitch as I walked down the pathway leading from the bar and couldn't help it when I started to smile. It would seem that someone interesting had decided to land on the island. Such interesting eyes.

End.