Next Chapter, yay!
Shout out to 10th Squad 3rd Seat for being my first review for this story. Thank you :) It makes me so happy to know that you like this story. I wish I could answer your questions, and I will eventually. -^_^-
So my readers, let me know what you guys like, hate, fix, or what you would like to see. I made this Chapter a little longer than the others because I'm so happy with how many hits it's gotten in such a sort amout of time. ENJOY!
Chapter Three
Back To Bon Clay
Covered in scratches and grime, Bon Clay stood in the middle of a group of groaning and defeated men. Hitting his face with his left hand, he turned back into his normal form. He had almost forgotten that he had turned his face into someone else's before that devil of a woman cornered him and left him to fight twenty men by himself. Mr. Two swiped his thumb across his nose and grinned. Of course men like those were no match for me, Bon Clay! He struck a pose; thrusting his chest upward, his hands on his hips, he laughed triumphant.
Ring. Ring. Ring. He turned and his jaw dropped. "WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM!" he shouted at the ringing transponder snail. Ring. Ring. He cautiously stepped toward it and very slowly picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Hello Mr. Two, how is your reconnaissance mission going?" A deep voice drawled.
Mr. Two froze with his mouth open. His head slowly ticked to look at the receiver. T-this must be M-Mr. Zero! Fear traveled up and down his spine. Hastily putting the receiver back to his ear, "The target, uh, she well…She has temporarily shaken me Sir, but I'm on my way to catch back up with her now."
Silence greeted him. He opened his mouth to speak more but was interrupted. "So," the voice vibrated with anger. "She found out you were following her."
"EEEEHH!" Mr. Two almost dropped the receiver. Scrambling to get it back to his ear his stammered on. "She didn't see my real face Sir. I can still tail her. Also I was able to find out that she has the power of a devil fruit." He made his hand into a claw as if Mr. Zero could see him through the snail.
A sigh, then more silence. "A Devil Fruit…Fine," the voice answered after a time. "Just know that if you fail me, I will kill you." Mr. Two's body shook in terror. "I sent the Unlucky's to watch over you, they should be about there by now. Say hello to Miss Friday and Mr. Thirteen for me."
The line went dead.
Not the Unlucky's! Mr. Two dropped the receiver.
"Ku," Mr. Two turned around slowly to see an otter holding spiked clams riding a vulture with goggles. "Ku Ku," the otter threw a spiked clam at him and he barely dodged it.
Tears ran down Mr. Two's face as he hit the ground. Not the punishment squad!
Back at Rainbase
Crocodile hung up the receiver and sighed, irritated. He reached into his coat for a cigar and lit the coffin nail. Inhaling the exotic flavors he mulled over his thoughts as he looked at the transponder snail. Releasing the smoke, he leaned back in his chair.
He had to admit he knew that she would find out he had someone tailing her. She had told him where she was going, she wouldn't expect less. The question was. Did she expect him to know that she knew that he knew? He had to assume that she did, which is why he had planted a bug on her. Even as he sat here the bug was recording any sounds it could pick up. If she was up to something, he would know about it.
Taking the cigar from mouth he examined the BW insignia then his transponder snail. He needed to find out more about Miss Grayson. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out her file once more. The manila folder was creased from his handling, but he didn't notice. He opened it to re-read the short paragraphs within. It mentions nothing about a Devil Fruit. Growling he reached for his transponder snail and dialed for Miss AllSunday.
She answered at the first ring, "Hello?"
He heard a book close in the back ground, shifting he placed the cigar back in his mouth. "Hello Miss AllSunday. Would you mind coming to my office." He wasn't asking it as a question, he knew she would.
Short pause, "yes Sir."
Ash's Next Day
"Captain, look at that!" The little girl with long wild blond hair pointed over the port side of the vessel.
The Captain stood beside her and smiled down at her, "I thought you were supposed to be scrubbing the decks Alleo"
The girl pouted and grabbed at her Captain's sleeve and tugged as she pointed over the deck. "BUT THAT GOLD FISH IS HUGE!" She cried. Her eyes popped out of her head as the gold fish jumped up in the air then landed back in the water.
The boat rocked hard throwing Alleo over the railing. She screamed.
"Stop your screaming girl," The Captain laughed.
Alleo opened her eyes to see the sea splashing the side of the ship. "AHHH! PULL ME UP!" She looked up over her shoulder to see her Captain holding the back of her too-big-for-her shirt.
The Captain laughed again and lifted her so that her face was level with his. "Maybe I should let you fall in next time if you're going to be so easily distracted from your chores."
The girl pouted, "Awe, but Captain." She gave him big puppy eyes.
He rolled his eyes and lowered her back to deck. "Get back to work."
Alleo stood at attention and saluted, "Aye Aye Captain!"
"Hey, get back here you little brat!"
"Ha-ha," Alleo jumped out of her Captain's second in command's grip once more and stuck out her tongue. "You were hearts on your panties!" She ran with the man heart covered boxers over her head.
The man turned red, "they aren't called panties, now give them back!" He lunged for her and landed face first in the deck. He growled as he looked up to see her smacking her butt and laughing at him.
"Alleo, what are you doing?" A booming voice called.
The girl jumped and saluted. The boxers were in the hand she was saluting with so the material fell in her face. She hid the boxers behind her and grinned. "I'm just playing a game with Conan, Captain."
Conan jumped off the floor and grabbed his boxers and the little girl by the neck of her shirt. "I don't know why you keep this little brat on our ship." The girl stuck out her tongue and glared at the Second in Command. He glared right back, "I think we should throw her off at the next island we dock at."
The Captain walked toward them and stopped before the fighting pair. "Drop her, Conan." The other man opened his mouth to argue, but the Captain cut him off. "Drop her or I'll have you whipped for insubordination." His voice went low and menacing, causing the other man to shiver.
Conan put the girl down and glared at her one last time. "Captain," he looked back at his higher up. "I just don't understand why we keep her."
"I don't need a reason," the Captain said with anger still in his voice. "You may go now." He turned his back on his second in command and walked back to the steering wheel of his ship.
Alleo skipped behind her Captain with a big grin on her face. "Hey Captain." He looked down at the girl. "He has a lot of different kinds of panties with hearts on them, did you know that?"
The Captain laughed and leaned down to rub the top of her head. "No, I didn't, but thank you for telling me. I'll never see him the same way again."
The both laughed together.
The girl laughed so hard it hurt. "Captain, look at me!" She waved over at the ship.
The crew's jaw dropped and the Captain froze in horror. Alleo was riding the back of a Sea King.
Alleo waved with a big grin on her face as the Sea King swam on, not noticing the small girl on its back.
"Alleo, get off of that thing!" The Captain screamed.
"Awe," she pouted. "But I like George," she patted the Sea King.
"You named him?" The Captain asked in horror.
"Yup," she grinned so big he could see all her teeth. "Can I keep him Captain? Please please please!"
The Captain twitched visibly, "No, now get off him!"
She whined but easily hopped off and landed in a roll on the deck. "Ouchy," she muttered as she rubbed her butt. Turning she looked back to where the Sea King was she rushed to the side of the deck and waved. "Bye George!" The Captain came up behind her and rested his hand on her head. She looked up and smiled up at him.
Ash woke up in her hotel room in Yuba. She sat up and regretted the choice to go vertical. Her head spun. Sitting on the edge of the bed and hanging her head between her legs, she breathed deeply. Hangovers were such a bitch.
An unopened bottle of booze caught her eye and she grabbed it. There was only one way to get rid of a hangover like this. She popped the bottle open and chugged it. Her head eased slightly, but her stomach churched. "Fuck me," she moaned and fell back on her bed.
She stared at the ceiling above her and thought of her dreams. "Talk about a trip down memory lane," she muttered as she rubbed the ache over the center of her heart.
After the Phone Call
Robin shut Crocodile's door behind her and turned to look at the lounging man. He smiled at her as she walked toward him.
Keeping her face straight she sat in a chair before his desk and folded her hands in her lap. "Yes, Mr. Zero?" She bit back her mocking tone.
He either didn't notice the bitter hint or chose to ignore it, either way he stood up and walked around to the front of his desk. "Miss AllSunday." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her. "I wish you to tell me all that you know about your friend, Miss Grayson."
Ah, Robin closed her eyes. I knew he would ask after her sooner or later. Her eyes opened slightly and she focused on his polished black shoes. You knew that too, though, didn't you Asha.
~Flash Back~
"Robin," Ash sat at her desk, twiddling with a still unopened bottle of rum.
The older woman watched as her younger sister fiddled with the lip of the bottle. She noted the stress around her eyes, as if she were holding something back.
"Crocodile isn't the sort of man who takes disobedience well," Ash's black eyes stared ahead of her, seeing something that no one else could see. "So when he asks about me, as he will eventually." She turned her head and stared hard at the other woman. Her face, usually flushed from booze, and eyes normally glittering with twisted laughter, was serious. Dead serious. "I want you to tell him everything you know." Her thumb wiggled the cork from the bottle. POP. "I don't want you getting hurt for trying to protect me." Ash smiled at that point and took a large swing of rum. She looked at the bottle as if the liquid within were gold itself. "Besides," she took another drink. "There is nothing that anyone knows about me that I'm afraid to share."
~End~
Yes, Robin smiled to herself, nothing that anybody knows about you.
Refocusing back on her employer, she rested her head in her hand. "Where would you like me to start?"
This made him truly smile. "Such a cold woman you are Nico Robin."
She glared at him, "I asked you not to call me that."
Crocodile chuckled, "Tell me how you met her." He rolled the cigar in his mouth as he changed the conversation.
Robin closed her eyes and told her tale. "It was about ten years ago now." She opened her eyes and looked past The War Lord. Her eyes seeing a beach on a cold fogy morning, "I was fifteen when I found her washed up on a shore of a beach. I don't recall the name of the island. I had been to so many; this was just another island on the sea." She didn't mention that because she was from the West Blue that the seas of the East Blue were still so unfamiliar to her. "She wasn't wearing any close, and it was too early in the morning for anyone to be going out for a swim. So when I approached her and she didn't move, I wasn't sure if she was dead." Her eyes stopped seeing the man before her in a hot room on the Grand Line. She was back on that island. The cold water would bite at her feet every time the waves came to greet the shore. There she was, a small girl a few years under than she. Her long blond hair was tangled with sea weeds and crusted with sand. Her most discernible feature was the angry welts and that black dragon tattoo that stood out so viciously from her death pale skin. It looked as if that tattoo had been placed on her back not too long after she had been burned. She had been horrified at the sight. She blinked away the vision. "I saw that she was breathing and I took her to where I had been staying." Robin paused and shifted to cross her legs. "After that we spent some time together. We would travel together at times and hide on ships to get to different places. When we got older though and she started to work with the Marines, we went our separate ways." She met Crocodile's cold eyes. "We crossed paths once more recently, and we had been staying together for about a year until now." She lifted a hand and waved it to show that she was done.
Crocodile leaned on his desk as he absorbed this. He began to rub the bridge of his nose. Ten years ago, again, it was as if she came out of nowhere. He gritted his teeth in frustration at this. He looked back down at the woman before him, "Tell me about her Devil Fruit power."
Robin's eyes grew from shock, and then returned to normal just as fast. "I'm surprised you know about that." She paused as if thinking. "Do you know anything about the legends of the seas?" She sat up straight, "More clearly, since there are so many, about the creatures within them?"
The War Lord's brow furrowed, he chewed on his cigar in thought. "No, not much," he shifted his weight to another foot.
Robin stood up and walked to the wall of books in his office. "I've seen it in here before…" she started to follow the wall till she found what she wanted. Pulling a large leather bound book out that Crocodile was pretty sure he hadn't seen before, Robin sat back down. He watched as she flipped the pages. "Here we go." She showed him a page with a drawing of what looked like an Eternal Dragon.
He frowned deeply, "I don't see what that has to do with anything." He leaned away from the book and gave her a grin, "unless you're saying she is a dragon." He laughed.
Robin was dead serious. "Not an Eternal Dragon. There is more than one type." He stopped laughing and studied her intently. "You see," Robin began to explain. "She is a zoan type. There are too many animals in this world that we can even count. Nobody knows for sure because there are still many species of animals that are out somewhere just waiting to be discovered. Most of those animals are in rain forests. Others are at the very bottom of the ocean, where no one can get to yet. What we do know for sure, however, is that for every animal there is a zoan type fruit." She flipped to another page and studied it for a time. "Eternal Dragon's are quite real and very much alive still today. They are rare and elusive creatures, and can only be found every 1,000 years on one island in this Grand Line." She looked up at Crocodile's face and smiled at the incredulous look he was giving her. "If such legends like the Eternal Dragon's are real, then so must it be for the others."
She then turned to book toward him. Before him were pictures of four different dragons. One was the Eternal Dragon, its green body covered in feature with the word "Air" next to it. The next was a dragon with no wings, but a tough body and strong legs. Next to that dragon was the word "Earth". Then "Water" had a dragon with wings and feet more like fins. Its body was long and narrowed at the end, so its tail was a ruttier. "Fire" had a dragon with two long strong arms and enormous wings, but no legs; its body was a long ruttier fit for cruising.
She pulled the book back toward her and looked down at the pictures. "Air, Earth, Water, Fire, the four great elements that make up our world. It is said that these creatures died out long ago when our world was forming. They fought and raged against one another, it says in here that there is a theory that their battles helped forge the islands we now know." She closed the book. "Of course, even I believe that is silly." She smiled and went to put the book away. "But," she turned to look at him. "I do believe those creatures did exist. Asha is proof of that." Robin sat back down and looked at her employer. "She is a zoan type for the rare Drago Drago fruit."
Crocodile placed two fingers around his chin and thought. Could she really be so powerful then? He glared down at Nico Robin. "Does she have any weaknesses?"
Her mouth twitched down just the slightest. "Yes, as everyone does." Her implication didn't go unnoticed.
His eyes narrowed.
She shrugged as if to say "who-cares?" and met him in the eye. "She of course has the same weakness as any other Devil Fruit user."
Should I let him know about your back, Asha? She saw the image of the fair haired woman as she checked a spot on the back of her arm after a bar fight. She had been upset because she had to run again, and had been hurt. Asha hadn't even noticed she was injured until Robin had pointed it out. It was a serious problem and an advantage depending on how one could see it. To not feel pain in some places, enabling her to continue, but if seriously injured. She wouldn't know when to stop as to not threaten her life. She also couldn't exactly fight. What would you have me do Asha? Robin saw her friend's stern face in her mind's eye. "I don't want you getting hurt for trying to protect me". Her words resounded in her head.
Resolutely and reluctantly she continued. "There is also a few other things." Crocodile straightened in attention. "Have you ever noticed her back?"
He nodded, "Her tattoo. It looks like the fire dragon in the book. Is that what you're aiming at?"
"No," though she shouldn't be surprised he was so perceptive. This was a man who had become a War Lord threw power and wits. He had every right to be the cocky son-of-a-bitch he was now. She refocused, "If you ever look close enough, that tattoo is over scars on her back. Those scars are undeniably burn welts. The burns are extensive and the scar tissue goes as deep as the nerves around her spine." The War Lord lifted a brow as if he found this interesting. "The damage that was done to her nerves causes her to lose feeling in some of her limbs becoming a hindrance at times." She hated to continue with the next part, but knew that Asha would be pissed if she didn't. After all these years, she still hadn't quite figured out her only friend. "This nerve damage also makes it impossible for her to put true force behind any punches or kicks, however, she can still move just as fast as anyone else if not faster."
They sat in silence in the wake of this information. Finally Crocodile moved. He walked back behind his desk and picked up a folder. He then threw it toward Robin. "How come no one knows anything about her after the time frame of ten years?" He looked, for lack of a better word, disgusted. As if the lack of information was beyond deplorable.
Robin read the paragraphs within and noted the creases. Her eyes narrowed at the War Lord. A man like him would, of course, unconsciously obsess over this. He was use to control, having everything under his thumb. It must really get under his skin that Asha was so elusive. She smiled to herself at the prospect.
She threw the folder back at Crocodile. "The only thing I've been able to deduce, and mind you I'm not sure, but she either received those scars before or after eating her Devil Fruit." She wasn't going to add that she was pretty sure it had to be after because of her tattoo, but that was a hunch. "Now, as you've pointed out, her tattoo is of the fire dragon. So you would be correct in assuming that she ate the Drago Drago Fruit of the fire dragon." Robin uncrossed her legs then crossed them once more. "The thing about the fire dragons is that, they are said to dwell with volcanoes. So if she was burnt after eating the fruit, the question would be. What could burn a being who can withstand the heat of a volcano?" She watched as he mulled this over. "Of course, she could very easily have been injured before eating the Devil Fruit, but it is a nice thing to think about."
Crocodile turned his chair away from Miss AllSunday and stared out at the dark sky of Rainbase. What could burn a being who could withstand extreme heat? It was a riddle. He blinked, if she were burnt after she ate her fruit, then he could think of one way. Admiral Akainu, the magma user. That would mean she was involved with the Marine's way before her ten year cut off. Though, he had to wonder if it was willing or forced. He turned back toward his backstabbing Vice President.
She smiled at the look on his face, "If you came to the conclusion about the Marine's, I've already thought about that. It is a possibility. But don't forget that she could have been injured before the she consumed the Devil Fruit. So it's only a possibility." Robin stood up at that point. "That is all I can really say about her, it's all I really know that would be of true importants to you."
He motioned his hand to dismiss her and turned away from her again. He took the now stub of a cigar from his mouth and looked at were the insignia had started to burn.
(after a week in Yuba)Back at Rainbase
Ash twirled gleefully as she skipped to the War Lord's bed room. Clink. Clack. Clink. Clack. The sound of bottles and her heels filled the hallway. She hugged her deer bottles of rum once more and twirled. This was one of her favorite times. It was the only excitement she ever got since coming to Alabasta. Not including her adventure in Yuba, that is.
Without knocking, she walked into his room. He was sitting at a small writing desk, per usual. He didn't bother to look up at her anymore when she came in. This caused her to pout. She had just bought a whole bunch of new outfits to strut around in just for him. He could at least look at her, since he hadn't seen her in a week.
She placed the bottles on his writing desk and looked down at him as he looked at the bottles then her. Ash positively glowed when he took in her appearance. She was wearing a see through green veil that covered her lacy dark forest green top with little beads of gold that hung from the edges of the lace. The underwear was lacy also, almost like a skirt, every time she moved so would those little beads. The beads were there to draw attention in just the places a woman would want a man to look. Though, personally, she did it to be a bitch.
"What do you think of the new outfit I bought for you, lover?" Ash giggled and twirled then leaned forward to wink provocatively
He glared and looked back down at his work, "You show too much skin."
She pouted, "Awe, come on Croc-o-dile." Ash stepped behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing her breasts against his back she rubbed her face into his neck. "I know you like it." She purred. Her hands shifted down to caress down his long and expansive chest.
Crocodile stood up, turned, and glared down at the siren before him. Her black eyes glittered hungrily as if he were a dessert she had been eyeing since the start of dinner. His glare darkened, "you drank all the champagne in my Sand Car." He snarled as she looked away sheepishly. "Do you know how much that costs?" He would have like nothing more than to wrap his hand around that long slender neck of hers and watch the life drain out of the black pits of her eyes.
She looked at him and shrugged, "on the Brightside it was very good."
His eye brow twitched and he put his face in his hand. This woman was going to drive him crazy. He sighed and reached into his jacket for a cigar. He had to keep his cool around her. "So, tell me about that scar on your back." He let out the first cloud of smoke from his cigar and smiled down at her.
He watched as her eyes sharpened and her face went blank. "I got hurt. End of story." She shrugged and walked to sit on his bed. "Happens to the best of us," she crossed her legs and leaned her weight on her arms.
He couldn't help himself as he took in her long curvy body. It was like she was always finding a way to put her body on display, whether consciously or unconsciously, it bothered him. "And who hurt you?" he shrugged out of his coat and he watch as her eyes grew hungry once more.
Her eyes followed the rolling of his shoulders as if she were imagining the different way those shoulders could be rolling. The thought heated his blood, but he wasn't going to let that distract him. "That is a long list there, my dear War Lord." She smiled that secret smile again. Then meeting his eyes, she crooked her finger toward him and beckoned him to her.
He smiled as he looked down his nose at her. "That's not really answering my questions." He crossed his arms over his large chest and let his smile grow. "Why should I give you what you want, if you can't give me what I want?"
She frowned then pouted. "But I will be giving you what you want." Ash untied the veil and pulled it away from her body. Crocodile's eyes swept up and down her body once more of their own violation, the traitorous bastards.
Crocodile smiled again and walked toward the wanton woman, she smiled and opened her arms to him. He grabbed her chin firmly and held her gaze with his. "I value power above all else; military power, fiscal power, and power of knowledge. With these three things a man can rule over anything. Those are the things worth having in this life. A woman can wait." He pushed her face away causing her to fall on his bed. She glared up at him and sat up on her elbows. He had to admit, he liked the view.
Ash shifted on his bed to sit up on her knees. Still glaring at him she decided she needed to step up her game. "Those things may satisfy you in one way." She reached behind her and took off her top and let the material drop. With a smile she let her hand travel from her waist to her breasts and she cupped them. "But only a woman can satisfy a man in bed."
He froze as he looked at the woman before him. The man in him ached to reach forward and fall into her. But he wasn't a normal man. She wanted something from him and it wasn't sex. He snarled at her and turned away. "Get out of my room." He walked back to his desk and looked at the bottles of rum. He grabbed one and walked to his bar to pour himself a glass. He didn't hear her move but he heard his door click shut as she left. Even so, he felt like she was still in his room. As he drained his glass and poured himself another. He knew there would nothing that he could do to get the vision of her holding her perfect breasts for him out of his head.
Alright everyone. I put some dividers in time skips and some hoping for it to make a little bit more sense instead of just flopping around. I did it with my other chapters also and I will try and keep the practice.
Oh and I don't know why but this Chapter bugs me. So if anyone can PM me or Review it to give me some tips or something to make it better let me know.
Also, I know that her Devil Fruit power probably isn't as epic as i built it up to be haha, sorry. I like it however, so even though I'm probably not the first person to think of A Dragon Devil fruit, IDGAF(I don't give a F*&K) It makes me happyface, cause it's important to the rest of my story. Haha -^_^-. Anyway!
I just hope you all enjoy it and I hope my dorky-ness didn't kill the story... I hope. UNTIL NEXT CHAPTER! 3