Little bit of a time skip and different point of view. You guys get to see whom I plan on pairing together this chapter, though it should be pretty obvious since the pairings are the character tags. If things go well enough, anyway.
One thing first: to the Guest that asked about the name-change and about Aiden not being named Harry. To me, it made more sense to give Aiden his own name since he is the OC. By calling him 'Harry', I felt like I was making Celosia an OC. And she isn't, she's a female Harry. Thus the twin-brother gets his own name and Harry (changed into a girl) gets a new name but is still the same character. Just with a different personality/mindset. Hope that made some sense and that I didn't end up confusing you.
Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece or Harry Potter. I'm just playing with them for now and will return them later.
Here the Chapter Starts
It was a bit of a mystery to him. One he intends to solve.
Not many occupy this island, and they shouldn't. The island is for those training to be CP9 agents, families of the trainers or fellow agents. Some kids, like himself, but he doubts most of them surviving the training. A few show promise, him included. One of them a boy five years younger than him with a rectangular nose and orange hair covered with a cap. That one likes following him around for some reason. Then there's the girl three years younger than him with long blonde hair. He thinks she may have a puppy crush on him.
Regardless, the mystery has little to nothing to do with them. Except for the fact that there are strange paw prints around the area where they sleep. The boy, Kaku, claims he sees a big ghost cat in the shadows when he wakes up in the middle of the night, but the girl, Kalifa, says she sees a huge shadow dog. He plans on settling that argument by solving the mystery so that they would go to sleep for the night and stop bothering him.
"You just want to keep the kiddies calm," his companion teased.
"Shut up, Jyabura," he calmly said.
His companion is another hopeful, carrying a scar on his face from a previous training incident. Jyabura is older than him by seven years, leaving him at the age of nineteen. He gets sent out on small missions here and there, but tends to come back for more training. Most he succeeds while he fails very few.
"Nothing wrong with it," the teenager continued on with a mocking grin on his face. "It just shows you do care."
"An assassin doesn't care about anything but whether their target is still breathing or not," he pointed out, his pigeon Hattori cooing in agreement while crossing his wings.
"You'll never enjoy anything in life if you keep that up," the older boy sighed lowly. "Look, Lucci, you can enjoy life when you're not training or working. It doesn't have to be all business."
"Yes it does," Lucci shot back, not even glancing towards the teenager.
"When you're undercover, you know you can't just be a stiff with a pole up your ass, otherwise you would never get to your objective," Jyabura informed, placing his hands on his hips and bending down to get into Lucci's face.
The younger simply shoved his face away from him, earning a scowl from him. "Be quiet," he ordered, his eyes focusing on the ground. Prints like the ones around the base. "We're close. Your smell may be enough to scare it off. Don't increase chances of our failure with your noise."
"You little brat!" Jyabura insulted with a spit to the side. Why did he bother coming along again? Right, because no one wanted their little prized pupil to wander off into the forest and get mauled by a large animal he possibly couldn't handle. He could handle anything, but they want to make sure. So they sent him to tag along, and he can't refuse a superior.
A low growl invaded their ears, causing both to pause. Jyabura scanned to their right while Lucci looked to the left. A second growl, this one louder and deeper. Hattori ruffled his feathers nervously, rubbing against Lucci's cheek. Then he was pounced on, forced to the ground as Jyabura let out a surprised yelp.
The creature that jumped on him easily leapt off, using him as a springboard. He quickly pushed himself off the ground but froze when he saw the beast. A young cheetah, half the size of an adult, watching them with bright green eyes. The coat was unlike anything he has ever seen. All the markings were there, but where he expected to see yellow or orange fur, it was all white.
Hearing Jyabura hacking, he looked away from the cat to see a massive black dog pinning the older teenager to the ground, its jaws clamped around Jyabura's throat. The dog snarled loudly at him, applying more pressure to the teenager's neck. "Get this damn thing off!" Jyabura choked out.
To Lucci's surprise, despite the grip the dog was using to hold the older teen, no blood was drawn yet. "Stay still, idiot," he ordered.
"Go to hell! Get it off!"
"You're not even bleeding," he pointed out. Hattori let out a shrill cry, bringing Lucci's attention back to the white cheetah. It was much closer now, almost able to bump its nose to his hand. Slowly, he turned to it. He didn't want to hurt the creature, not really. He just wanted to find out what the two younger ones were talking about. Now the trick is getting away to tell them they're both right without killing it or getting mauled. He is trained to kill, but for some reason, he did not want to kill this cub.
The dog let out a sharp snarl and the cheetah backed off, still watching him. The further the cheetah stepped away, the looser the canine's jaws got. When the young feline was a good five meters away, the dog released Jyabura and sprinted over to the cat, standing in front of it to block it from view.
Jyabura sat up sharply, coughing and rubbing his neck. Looking at his hand, he was surprised to see no blood on his palm or fingers from potential punctures. "Seriously, what the hell?" he muttered.
"I think it's protecting that cheetah cub," Lucci offered as an explanation.
The cub ducked down to look at them from under the dog's belly, head tilting to the left curiously. The green eyes blinked a couple times before the feline nudged its head into the dog's side. The canine took sidesteps away, slowly pushing the cat further into the forest. With a low yowl, the cheetah jogged into the trees, soon followed by the dog. Their speed slowly increased until they were gone from sight.
"That… was not normal," Jyabura commented.
"No, it wasn't," Lucci agreed then glared down to the older teen. "You realize you could have used Tekkai or Shigan in that situation, right?"
"Shut up!"
Here is a line!
"Too close," Sirius sighed, dumping his head into the waterfall. Celosia sat on a nearby rock, using his coat to cover herself while she kicked her toes in the water. He pulled out from under the water, brushing his hair back and turning to his goddaughter. "Are you okay, Sia?"
"I'm fine," she answered then tilted her head. "Padfoot, why can't I meet those children?"
"Because I've watched them long enough to know what they're trained to do," he answered, wading through the water back to her, wearing nothing but his knickers to keep himself decent in front of her. "I've seen what some of them are meant to do. And if those adults find you among them, they're going to try and keep you the way they keep those kids. And I don't want to see you stripped of your freedom like that."
"I won't let them," she assured, handing his coat back before dropping into the water to clean up as well.
"I know you won't, but I still worry," he told her, grabbing a bar of soap to help her wash her back. "We should have moved to a different island a while back. I hate having you this close to kids you can't play with."
"But I like it here," Celosia informed calmly, scooping up water with her hands. "I like the forest and this creek. I know it all like the back of my hand. I can really run."
"I know," he chuckled, splashing some water onto her back to remove the soapsuds. Gently taking her hair, he started braiding it to keep the thick strands from falling into her face once it dries.
It wasn't fair to Celosia, and he knows it. When they came to this word six years ago, it was a whole new adventure for them to explore together. They could camp out under the stars, hunt for food. When she got tired traveling, he carried her on his back as both a dog and a human, depending on if she was awake enough to hold onto his fur.
The island they landed on seemed perfect for them, so Sirius started building them a small home. A cottage in the forest. It wasn't until a few years ago, when he taught his goddaughter the Animagus transformation (she got it down in four tries!), that they found out they're not as alone as they thought. Celosia, shy little girl she is with strangers, gave the base some space. Sirius, though, watched to learn what the towering base is for.
A group of children learning how to fight, using their bodies in unique ways he has never seen before. Their fingers would stab into another being, drawing blood. They could kick shockwaves to anything. Their bodies could even withstand hits. They could jump into the air and keep jumping to reach higher and higher. He could blink and the kids would be gone from one point and appear at another. They could even bend their bodies like paper.
At least, through enough training, they could do it easily. As it was, the kids would skid and fall to the ground. The shockwaves would dissipate before striking their targets. They could only jump two or three times into the air. Their fingers would apply pressure but not puncture. They couldn't bend enough. And some hits would knock them to the ground. Those kids, tough little buggers they are, would get back up and start all over again.
Sirius would feel his heart break each time. He knows the purpose of the base, to collect children and raise them to be the perfect killers. Assassins working for their government. They could kill and not get into trouble for it, so long as they accomplish their mission.
He should have taken Celosia and moved them to a different island, but she loves it here. She loves running through the trees and chasing the wildlife. There were few other predators in the area, so all he really had to worry about was the people at the base. He wasn't scared for himself, but he is terrified for Celosia. They could try to train her into being their personal weapon, bound to their orders.
He would rather die then let anyone take his goddaughter's freedom from her. To strip her of herself. To collar and leash her, only releasing her to sic her on their target. Or worse, to use her for breeding the better bloodlines in hopes of creating the perfect minion.
He'd die before ever letting them lay a single finger on her. And if push comes to shove, he will definitely kill to keep her free.
Here is a line!
"I told you it was a cat!" Kaku declared.
"No, it was a dog, like I said!" Kalifa shot back.
Lucci rubbing his forehead as the two bickered back and forth, ignoring Jyabura trying to tell them that it was both. Two animals, not one. He soon gave up. Hattori nudged his chin, earning a finger scratching his chest soothingly.
That whole situation was strange. There are no animals that large on the island, not that he knows of anyway. And why would a simple dog be protecting a cheetah cub? Not to mention how the dog had Jyabura by his throat, yet didn't puncture his skin even though Lucci could see the sharp fangs as clear as day.
His curiosity is peaked by the mystery. Instead of finding out what animal is leaving tracks to settle the argument between Kaku and Kalifa, he finds himself facing something new. He couldn't wait to figure it out. Now he just needs to figure out where to start looking for the answers once training sessions are done.
Here is a line!
She never played with other children. Not with her twin. Not with his friends. Often, she would be sitting alone in a room with only a book for company, sometimes Sirius coming to look for her during his visits until he took custody of her. Now he makes sure she isn't alone anymore.
Still, she never played with other children her age, older or younger. She wasn't sure how to act with them. They are all so loud and emotionally unstable, crying over a skinned knee or tiny cut on their finger. Asking inane questions or begging for sweet food.
That was probably why she liked these kids more than other kids. They don't cry over anything. They tough it out and keep going. They push themselves to their limits then keep pushing. Celosia couldn't help but admire it, despite knowing why they were doing it. Their prowess. Their strength. Their determination.
None more so than the black-haired boy with the pigeon on his shoulder, staring at her from a few trees away. She has seen him train often, longer and harder than the others. She isn't sure what it is he wants with her, but that didn't mean multiple possibilities did not cross her mind. A white cheetah like her? Even in her home realm, that is rare.
He took three steps to her before she jumped away, putting two more trees between them. Another two steps, another jump. Her tail flicked and her ears lowered as she let out a low growl, warning the boy away. He ignored her, instead running towards her now.
With a leap, she bolted into the forest, twisting around trees and ducking under bushes. When she slowed to a stop, she looked over her shoulder. He flickered into existence not five feet from her. Blinking, she bolted again, followed by the boy once more.
At one point, he was even running next to her. She just pumped her legs faster and faster, digging into baser instincts to get away from a potential threat. Spotting a boulder, her feet dug into the ground to skid to a stop, jumping up enough to bounced off the boulder and propel herself another direction. The boy wasn't expecting it, turning a little too sharply and slipping.
Feeling a bit of pride, she ran back home. The boy did not follow after. At least, not this time. He did after that and the time after that. On and on they went, for months. Playing their game of cat and mouse, him chasing her all over the forest until he decides to let her be. She found herself enjoying their little game, keeping it a secret from her godfather in order to enjoy it a while longer.
Here is a line!
He was gone for a while, and she didn't know why it upset her so much. She would sit in a tree, watching the children train from a distance and hope to catch a glimpse of him. He just wasn't there.
Days went by slowly, dully. She found herself bored, whether she be on two or four legs. Sirius didn't know what to do for her, seeing as she never told him of her latest activity. So he truly had no clue. And if she could tell him why she's so depressed, she would. But she couldn't figure it out.
Then one day, while she was out wandering the forest, another large cat leapt from the foliage and crouched in front of her. She took a few steps back, staring at the larger leopard. Her eyes traced over the burn scars on his broad back, but the shorts were what caught her attention most. Why is a leopard wearing shorts? Unless…
He took three steps forth and she jumped back. He pounced to her and she leapt away, trotting a few feet further. He pounced again and she burst into a sprint, kicking up dirt and leaves as she ran. She could hear his massive paws hitting the ground as he gave chase. Soon enough, he was by her side, so she pushed herself faster.
The creek in sight, she flew over the grass and leapt into the water, swimming to the other side. Once on the opposite bank, she shook the water from her fur and turned back. He was glaring at her, his ears flat against his skull and the tip of his tail twitching in aggravation. He won't go in the water, and she thinks she knows why.
The boy is back, but now he's a cat. He ate one of the special fruits. He can no longer swim, but he can turn into an animal. Their game just got a bit more interesting.
With a feline smirk and a huff, she smugly turned to the trees and walked off, her head high. He roared at her irritably.
Here is a line!
Sirius knew something was going on. The problem was figuring out how to spy on his goddaughter without her knowing. She is observant of everything around her, making sneaking up on her near impossible. She has to be thoroughly distracted.
He did the only thing he could think of. He climbed to the top of the highest boulder and laid as flat as possible on it, peering over the edge. To his surprise, she was just sitting there, watching the trees with perked ears. Every once in a while, she would jump to her feet and look ready to bolt. Then, from behind her, a large leopard tackled her to the ground. She squirmed out from under him, swatting at his head without her claws then bouncing away. The leopard got up and followed after her, pouncing to her every time she bounced away.
Sirius couldn't believe what he was seeing. His little Celosia is playing with a larger cat. And if those shorts are anything to go by, the leopard isn't really just another feline. That leopard is one of the people from the base of assassins.
Yet he couldn't bring himself to interfere. Neither were going into their game with intent to harm. In fact, she leapt towards the leopard and he simply dodged to the side, letting her fly right by him as he turned to face her once again. He leapt onto her, but slid off or let her slip under him to run away. It was actually quite an interesting thing to Sirius.
Celosia has been warming up to him over these past few years, occasionally smiling at him or letting other emotions slip through. She's never played, though, despite his best attempts. She loved to run in the forest and hunt smaller animals for them to eat, honing her bestial instincts and skills. It was all learning to her. But right there, right in front of him, with one of those assassin kids, she's playing around and being a child.
She's thirteen now, but she's finally playing. Even if it isn't with him, he could help but feel happy that she's allowing herself this small joy.
"Hey! Lucci! You out here?" a voice yelled out, a somewhat familiar one.
Sirius lifted his head, watching the scarred boy stumble into the little clearing where Celosia was playing with the leopard. The boy paused, looking between the leopard and cheetah. He grinned teasingly. "Got a girlfriend, Lucci?"
To Sirius' surprise, the leopard growled back, "Shut up, Jyabura."
Celosia froze, her legs shivering as she stared to the other. Sirius, after sniffing the air, could smell why she was suddenly so nervous. The boy smells like a wolf.
"What's wrong? Don't want me blabbing to everyone how you're playing with a cheetah cub?" the other continued to tease before looking over to Celosia curiously. "Hey, isn't that the same cub from last year? I thought it'd be bigger by now. Full grown."
The Grim decided that enough is enough. He jumped to his feet and snarled loudly, his hackles raising as his curled lips reveal glistening sharp fangs. The boy growled back, baring sharp canines as well while holding up his hand. Claws grew from his fingers, dark gray hair sprouting from his arms.
Celosia snapped out of her shock and bounded up the boulder to him. She sat next to him, her tail wrapped around herself as she lowered her head in shame, her ears tucked down. He stopped growling, nudging her head back up with his snout to reassure that he's not mad at her. He looked back to the other two, watching the leopard shift back into a familiar boy, a pigeon gliding down from the trees and perching itself on his shoulder.
The two stared at each other before Sirius turned back to Celosia and gave her a little puff. She reeled back and blinked at him. He gently pushed her back off to the side of the boulder, her clawed feet scrapping against stone to avoid slipping down. She tilted her head at him before he gave her a yip of encouragement. 'Go play' he was trying to tell her. 'Have fun.'
Looking back to the boys, Celosia tilted her head to the younger. He tilted his head in return, which was all she needed. With a low purr, she nuzzled Sirius' under his chin then jumped from the boulder, staying a few feet from the younger boy.
"Okay, what is going on here?" the older boy asked skeptically.
"She wants to play," the younger, Lucci if he heard right, answered. "I chase her a lot and she runs from me. It's a game to see who can outrun who."
The older, Jyabura, looked at him in disbelief before shrugging and turning away. "Whatever! Next thing you know, I'll be playing with that dog up there!"
Challenge accepted, Sirius decided as he jumped down from his perch and tackled the boy to the ground. He let out a series of yips, making sure the other knew he was being laughed at.
"Oh, that is it!" the older growled, shifting into a large wolf.
With a challenging bark, Sirius took off running, the wolf following him.
Back in the clearing, Lucci changed back into a leopard in time to be pounced on by the cheetah. He still hasn't figured her out, or that dog, and he still plans on it. But for now, he enjoys their game.
Here is a line!
"I won't say anything if you don't."
"What's the matter, Jyabura? You don't want everyone to know you were playing with a wild dog?"
"I mean it!"
"I wasn't planning on saying anything anyway. Right, Hattori?"
"Coo-coo!"
"That bird doesn't count!"
"Yes he does."
Here is a line!
She's leading him somewhere, he knows it. As often as they play their game of chase, she never once would pause and wait for him to catch up. As soon as he was close to her, she would run a bit further and wait behind another tree. He's not quite sure where she is leading him, but maybe now he'll finally figure out the mystery behind the white cheetah.
His ears perked up as the sound of rushing water greeted them. Slowly, he stepped from the forest to see the small waterfall falling into a pool that spilled into the creek. She was sitting there on her haunches, her tail twitching nervously as she stared at him. As he stepped closer, she didn't budge. She tensed, but she didn't spring away from him.
Only a few feet apart, he sat and waited. She led him here, now he just has to wait and see why. To his surprise, she took a deep inhale and closed her eyes, soon engulfed by a glow of light. Her body shifted until it was human, completely clothed unlike with the usual zoan transformations.
There, in place of the young cheetah, sat a girl the same age as him. Her thick black hair in soft waves over her shoulders and down her back. Her bright green eyes slowly opened to stare at him, ducking her head down nervously. She tilted her head under his scrutinizing gaze. For her age, she has a rather nice figure. Perhaps it is due to her activity of running around as a cheetah. She has no baby fat, but is covered in lean muscle. Her clothes consisted of a white tank top with spaghetti straps over her shoulders and a pair of black shorts. Around her neck hung an emerald necklace and her ears were pierced with another green gem earring set.
Realized what she was waiting for, he changed back into his human form. Like he did her, she looked over his form carefully, tracing every curve of his muscles. Hattori landed on his shoulder, as per usual, staring at the girl as surprised as a bird can be.
"I'm Celosia," she spoke first, breaking their silence.
Celosia. It is a unique name, he'll admit. In fact, he rather likes it. "My name is Rob Lucci," he returned.
Here the Chapter Ends
They met, they played, now they officially meet! 8D What will happen after this? Well, read on and let me know what you think! ^^ Hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am!