Village Of Books! The Rose Blade Enters!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own One Piece
Alex flipped through a book as he watched the rain pour outside. The library was decently sized for a small island, but it was alarmingly empty, especially given the weather. Claire moved around, adjusting books here and there. Alex glanced down at the book he was reading, it seemed to be a pirate story. The tale of a great pirate by the name of Linc Roc who sailed the seas with a motley crew, fighting against evil forces. Alex grinned, sounds like his kind of guy. However, the tales of Linc would have to wait, Alex mused, as he placed the book back on the shelf. He still needed crew members, and information.
"Hey, Claire, I got a question for you". Alex called, as Claire paused in her organization and nodded towards him. "So the bartender said if I'm looking for strong people to join my crew, then I should look towards the mines. So what's the deal with those mines anyway?"
Claire blinked behind her glasses as her hand moved slowly towards her blade. "Your crew?" Alex cursed inwardly, he had gotten wrapped up in the tales of Linc that he didn't consider the fact that most people aren't that fond of pirates. Especially down in the South Blue, after the massacre carried out by the World Government after mere speculation that Roger might have a kid here. It figured, he thought, the World Government carries out a heinous crime and people blame the pirates. Though the tales of severe casualties happening on some islands recently probably didn't help matters.
Alex sighed, "Alright, if you must know, I'm a pirate. They call me the Melting Statue, it's the name of my crew as well. "Melting Statue" Caulfield Alex of the Melting Statue Pirates, it's a thing. However..." Alex held up his hands placating. "I am not an evil pirate, I'm a pirate because I desire freedom above all else. I just don't like being told what to do, that's all."
Claire remained tense, and almost paranoid from the way she kept glancing towards the door. "This isn't good, if they sent you to the mines, then they know who you are."
Alex scratched his head, "So what's the deal with those mines anyway."
Claire sat down, as she pushed her glasses back on her face. "Five years ago, this place was a esteemed mining town. Nothing special, just iron and what not, but still it was a place of commerce and business across the South Blue. It was a friendly place, we welcomed all. Marines, pirates, whoever."
"Sounds like a great place" Alex mused, "What happened?"
Claire looked distant. "Loras happened. Some big-shot bounty hunter, he came in and killed the miners and took over. The bartender is an informant of his, whenever pirates come to town, the bartender lets Loras know and they're sent to the mines. They say whoever goes in, you never see them again."
Alex remained silent as he pondered this information. "A island as a trap. It's smart in some ways. Wait, how do I know you're not part of this. For all I know, Loras could be on his way right now."
Claire glared at Alex. "I would never."
Alex held her glare before shrugging. "Alright, fair enough. Well, then I have two questions. One, you know how to use that thing." He gestured towards the rapier.
"Like it was my own arm, Alex. What's the second question?"
"Do you want to join my crew?"
The silence that fell in the library was so quiet that if a fly farted across the street, you could hear it.
"You want me to join your crew?"
"Yep."
"You don't know me."
"You're a polite girl, you seem to have a good heart, and you're apparently skilled with a sword. Sounds like good traits to me."
Claire smiled, but shook her head. "I can't, I made a promise to not leave until this island was free."
"What stopped you before?" Alex asked
"That's none of your business" Claire snapped, surprising Alex. "I apologize. That was a little too far on my part."
"No harm done, what if I helped you free your island."
"Excuse me?"
Alex stood from his seat as he held out his hand, "How about it, Claire. Let's go free Wilos Island." As if on cue, the front door to the library burst open as a small skinny man walked in, pointing a pistol at the two of them.
"Caulfeld Alex right? The boss wants to speak with you." The small man said as Alex cracked his knuckles. The man seemed to be surprised by this as he backed away slightly. Alex chuckled, this man seemed to be some lowly messenger.
"Yeah? Who the hell are you?" Alex asked, as he walked towards the little man. Yeah, definitely some lowly messenger, this wouldn't take long at all. Though it did confirm Claire's words that the bounty hunter knew about him.
"Jarros" The man replied, the gun starting to tremble. "The boss was very insistent that you come discuss a plan with him in the mines, he thinks he has just the people who would be willing to join your crew. I mean, that is why you're here right?"
"Tell your boss he can find me himself. Burn The Card!" Alex shouted as he aimed a hard kick right into Jarros' face, sending the small man flying out of the library and into the street below. "Claire, I'd get ready, we might have company coming soon."
Claire nodded as she pulled out her rapier, a thin metal blade ending in a rose-shaped guard that covered her hand. "If they weren't coming before, they'll be coming now." She looked at Alex as he got ready for the preparing battle. Perhaps this had been a mistake, perhaps she wasn't ready.
She hadn't been ready five years ago, after all.
"All will be fine when I am finished, don't worry." Loras shouted as his men rampaged through the town. "I'm just going to be taking up a little residence here, that's all. But hey, if it wasn't for bounty hunters like me, then pirates would have done this years ago."
An older man rushed out of the bar, throwing a mug of beer at Loras' head. The beer mug smashed into the bounty hunter's mask, shattering upon contact. Loras turned slowly towards the man who had his fists up.
"What is your name, old man?" Loras asked, his jovial tone now having been replaced by an icy coldness. His men started to move towards the old man, but Loras held up a single armored fist, causing them to halt their movement.
"They call me Bob, intruder." Bob said, as he lunged towards Loras. Loras sidestepped him quickly, before punching him hard in the gut with a gauntleted fist. Bob fell to the ground, spitting blood onto the dirt below as Loras moved for another blow.
"Halt! This has gone too far!"
Loras glanced up to see a younger Claire, holding a rapier out nervously. "Is this really all you have to offer as a defense? Old men and little girls? God, maybe I should let the pirates kill you all."
"We were a good people, why would you do this! We mean no harm to you, we mean no harm to anyone! We're just a peaceful village on a simple mining island, that's all. Please, go and we won't follow. We won't say anything."
Loras looked at the frail trembling form before him. "Little girl, the fact that you're a peaceful village is the whole reason I am doing this. Bounty hunting isn't the easy job it used to be. I need some place for pirates to come to me, and I'm not doing that out on the Grand Line. It'll be tantamount to suicide. Your island is pathetic, but it's a common spot for pirates on their way through this sea. Ergo, I use it as a trap, I make a shit ton of money selling those same pirates off to the Marines."
Bob rose slowly from the ground, "Claire, don't. Get away from him." The old man pleaded, only for Loras to sneer and give him a harsh kick to the ribs, sending Bob back down to the ground.
Claire gripped her sword tighter, as she got ready to strike. "To Kill A..."
"Shoot her" Loras ordered, as Claire's attack was cut down by a single gunshot that pierced through her shoulder, causing her to drop her blade and fall to the ground. "You see little girl, this is a good thing in the long run. You'll see."
Claire frowned to herself. The shoulder injury had healed in the time since, and Bob was no the worse for where. Her old master may play at being a crazy old man, but he had a good heart, and while his swordsman days were far behind him, at the very least he knew what he was talking about when he had trained her. However, Loras's words still echoed in her mind. The island was a ruin compared to what it had been in her youth, this was a good thing? She shook her head, if Alex could help her defeat Loras, then she had to take the opportunity.
Loras looked at his dinner ahead of him as he thought about the payday awaiting him. Ashton had been an odd fellow, he would grant that, but the important thing was the bounty. That should set him up for the next month or two. As he thought, the door opened up. Loras looked up from a glass of beer, as Jarros stumbled into the mining office where they had been set up for the past half-decade. "Where's Statue?" Loras asked.
"Still at the library" Jarros replied, as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a raw steak and held it to his face. "He refused our offer and kicked me out?"
Loras rose from his chair, picking his armored mask up from the table "What do you mean, he kicked you out?"
"I mean he literally kicked me out of the entire building, sir. He said he wanted to see you himself." Jarros replied, slumping against a wall as he let the energy drain out of him.
Loras placed the mask over his head as he walked out the door into the waiting rain. If Melting Statue wanted to play it rough, then he would play rough. The posters said Dead Or Alive for a reason, if he couldn't bring Siamon back his prisoner, then he could at least bring him back a corpse.
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Alex looked out at the pouring rain, as he glanced around the empty abandoned streets. Lightning flashed, as rumbles of thunder echoed in the sky. "I...I really don't like this, Claire." Alex said, jumping away from a window as a clap of thunder boomed in the sky.
Claire looked at Alex who was staying far away from the windows and doors. "Alex, are you scared of storms?" She couldn't believe it, this was the guy who was going to free the island, and he was being frightened by light and noise.
Alex glared at her before sighing. "Me and storms have a bad history."
Claire kicked herself, how could she have been so thoughtless. Still, it was an odd trait to have as a pirate. The sea had plenty of storms, even she knew that much.
Another burst of lightning flashed outside, as a figure appeared in the doorway of the library. Claire shouted in surprise. The crimson armor, the lion's head, the cold glare emanating from beneath the mask. She knew that figure, and if he was here, then that meant it was time to see if all the talk had been worth anything.
Loras looked around the library with a sneer, "So you don't want to come willingly, Alex? Fine, then you can face execution here and let the Marines sort you out!" Alex cracked his fists as he got into a fighting stance, sweat pouring from his brow as he trembled with every thunder clap. The storm was getting closer, Claire noted.
"Loras!" Claire shouted as she pointed her blade at the armored man before her. "I asked you once to leave this village nicely, and you refused. You said things would be better, but I ask you. People starve in the streets, the island is half abandoned. You let blatant criminals walk through with no issue simply because they don't have bounties yet, but you send perfectly fine people to their deaths for mere paychecks. You think this is better?"
Loras laughed, "I'm getting paid, aren't I? That's better for me, I don't give a shit about your little village."
"Hey, lionface! Your fight was with me!" Alex shouted before Claire held up a hand, stopping the pirate's approach.
"No, Alex, his fight is with me. It's my island, I will avenge it myself." Claire placed her right hand into her pocket as she pointed the blade of her rapier at the armored man in front of her. "Loras, you are a stain on this island, and I will remove you myself."
Loras grinned, despite himself. "The little girl wants to play tough guy now, alright fine. I guess I can have some pleasure before business."
Alright, chapter number two, I'm on a roll here. A little short, but eh what can you do. Looks like things are heating up here!
NEXT TIME ON MELTING STATUES
Claire: You took this island away from us!
Loras: Kindness gets you nowhere in life.
Alex: So that's her skill.
Claire: Five years was too long for this!
The Man Beneath The Mask! Loras, the Dirty Fighter!
Claire: Tonight! You fall!