Minnnnnnaaaa! I'm soooo sorrrrry for not updating in December. This chapter took longer than expected. Plus I was doing a chapter for another story.
Red: Plus you're really lazy.
I am not lazy, I'm just busy-
Red: Watching swords art online.
...It's a good anime.
Red: *sigh* You're hopeless. Anyway Miss N doesn't own One piece.
Enjoy the show~
Word count: 11,921
"The impossible is only an option, never give up."
-Sa'eed Awad
Ch. 3 Weird is an understatement.
(I never knew that...)
"There they are!"
"Get 'em!"
(That split second decision)
"If we don't get the map back-"
"Captain Buggy will have our heads!"
(Would bring me closer to a new path)
"They're gaining on us, Nami!"
"Don't look back!" Just keep going!"
(and make me gain a new friend)
"Ah! The roads split up ahead!"
"Come on men!"
"Nami-"
(...By losing an old one)
"-we have to split up!"
"...What?" Nami asks, disbelief clearly written on her face.
"We have to split up." I repeated, trying to ignore the angry shouts that were begin thrown our way by some not so friendly weirdly dressed pirates. "It's the only way we can both get away."
She's staring at me. She's not even blinking...I hate it when people are just to shock to blink, it creeps me out. I sighed as I continued.
"I'll take this map-" I explained while I lifted the half-finished map in my hand," while you take the real one."
Nami's eyes widened when she saw the determined look on my face. "B-but, I didn't even finish it!" she protested.
"Hey." I placed my hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. " What did I say you need when you want to accomplish a dream."
The tension in her body subsided a bit as she recalled the conversation we had earlier. "Faith and trust."
"Exactly." I smiled at her despite the situation we were in. "Now I need you to have faith in me and trust my idea." And, she's back to staring at me. Please stop with the staring...
"I want us both to accomplish our dreams." I confessed as I backed away and looked down the road.
"So," I shot her a nice, big grin, "do you trust me?"
For a second, everything turned still. I saw the worry in Nami's eyes and in a second she masked it again with and almost neutral face. Something flashed in her eyes before she rolled them at me and started running down the road again.
"I'm gonna take that as a yes!" I yelled as I ran after her. The angry shouts of pirates echoed loudly behind us but I wasn't paying attention to that. No. I had my eyes focused on the road- or should I say roads ahead of us.
Up ahead, a new row of buildings stood in the middle of the road, separating it into two, kinda like in Alabasta; the scene where Luffy got separated from his crew 'cause he went left instead of right. Each step we took brought us closer to the split till we were a couple feet away.
The shouts of the pirates grew louder and in a split second me and Nami nodded simultaneously at each other before we ran on to the two different roads. I took the right while Nami took the left.
I looked to the right to see Nami one last time and just before the row of houses blocked my view I saw her look right back at me with those brown eyes and- even though it lasted a second- I saw the faintest smile on her lips.
A real smile.
And then, she was gone. At that point something registered in my mind. I was alone again, running down a deserted road with mad pirates on my trail.
"Great, they're following me." I muttered to myself as I glanced at the pirates behind me. "Now what?"
I looked ahead and saw the half ruined streets and the partially destroyed builds ahead of me.
'Maybe I can lose them...'
Suddenly, I made a sharp turn to the left and race down one of the smaller roads. The voices of the pirates seemed to bounce off the walls of the broken down buildings.
"Oi, don't lose her!"
"She went down there!"
I scowled as I mentally cursed myself. 'Come on Red, remember what you learned.'
My eyes narrowed as made another turn into a wider street. Every house was evenly spaced out and had hardly had any damage on them. 'Perfect.'
"Zig-zag format."
With the next step I forcefully kicked off the ground and almost immediately started bouncing off the walls of the building, kicking off one of them and then the other in a zig-zag pattern.
After a few minute I stopped hearing the shouts of the pirates and, after a few more kicks, I decided to stop. I changed my angle and at the next wall I kicked off with both feet. I gotta say, I felt like an acrobat at that moment, doing a flip in mid-air and landing in a crouch position before I stood up. The landing kind of hurt, mainly cause I haven't done something like that in while.
I looked back to see that the streets were empty. "Yup!" I grinned as I turned back around, "Looks like I lost them…"
My eyes widened as I saw the line of destruction ahead of me.
'What happened here?'
All of the buildings in front of me were destroyed leaving a vast empty space in the middle of the town.
'An explosion?'
Quickly, I climbed to the roof of a half stable building to get a better view of the scene. My blue eyes widened as I looked at the area from up here.
'No…it looks like cannon fire.'
A row of buildings were completely destroyed. Stone and tile were all that were left behind and the destruction seemed to go on for about a mile in the same path.
'But to leave a crater of this magnitude, it had to be huge…'
I looked to where the attack seemed to come from and what I saw boiled my blood. It came from the bar Buggy and his men were staying at.
'Or very powerful.'
I clenched my hand into a fist and let my bangs cover my eyes. I felt the wind go through the area, ruffling my bangs and moving a few stray hairs that won't stay under my red cap.
"Despicable." I growled. I felt pure anger go through my veins. It's people like these that I hate. People who don't consider others peoples lives, as long as they get what they want they'll be satisfied. They don't care who they hurt or what lives they destroy. "This is all a sick game to them."
"And it looks like it's almost over."
Casually, I turned around to face the group of pirates that formed around me.
"Oi, What happened girl?" the same pirate who talked earlier asked as he faked sympathy. "Did your partner leave you behind?"
The pirates behind him chuckled but I just stared at them, unaffected by the comment. 'Baka.' They probably didn't see when me and Nami split.
"What a gal she was." he continued. "Leaving you alone to deal with us."
I just kept staring at them with a neutral expression, not giving into their mockery.
"Don't worry." he went on, "Our other friends are on their way to deal with 'er." A few low snickers were heard from the group of clown pirates behind him.
"Though," he chuckled, "nothing else good will come out of the situation you're in."
Immediately, the pirates broke out into laughter. I just kept on staring at them and after a moment I looked down.
"You're wrong."
The pirates stopped laughing as my voice grew dark.
"Something good did come out of this."
I adjusted my red cap that shaded my eyes and in a moment, a sinister grin appeared on my face.
"I can stop pretending now."
In a flash, I grabbed the metal bar from my satchel and hit the pirate that was talking with it. I put enough force in the swing that I heard a sickening CRACK! Come from the man's skull. The other pirates watched as their comrade fell from the roof and landed loudly on the make-shift street with a loud THUD! That seemed to echo throughout the entire area.
"Geez..." I said with annoyance, not even giving a second glance to the remaining pirates that were cracking their knuckles with an angry look in their eyes. "Don't you guys ever shut up?"
I hate people like them. It reminds me of him. The bastard that ruined my life.
"Let's get one thing straight." I told them in a dark voice, "I don't find the need to pretend to be nice in front of the likes of you."
I heard them all growl when I spit out the word like poison. I looked at them with a bored expression.
"What you did to this place makes me sick." they all inched closer to me.
"You guys are a disgrace to all pirates everywhere," I finished.
That seemed to be the last straw. All the pirates charged at me.
I closed my eyes and pictured the roof of the next building over. A welcoming, burning sensation over took my eyes and, just before the pirates weapons impaled me, I was gone.
"...EH?!" The pirates gawked when their weapons hit nothing but air. Too bad they fail to notice the small flash of light when I landed at my destination. I looked at the befuddled looks of the pirates before I went into my satchel, took out a metal bar, twisted it and held it over my head. With a clink! It started to grow in length and black, curved blades came out of both ends.
It's name was Sukui, a black, double-bladed scythe. Ironic, the name meant salvation and yet...
it was going to be the destruction of these pirates.
A bored expression entered my face as stared at them. The angry cries of the pirates echoed across the street.
"Where is she?"
"O-oi! Is this a trick?!"
"FIND HER!"
As I held Sukui above my head, the sunlight shined off the black blade, catching the attention of one of the pirates.
"Oi, look!" He pointed at me and all his friends turned to look at me, or, more importantly, the double bladed scythe above my head. Now this part might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw them all gulp.
"What is she doing?!"
"An attack that far won't make it!"
'Idiots' I mentally scolded, 'Normal laws don't apply in the anime world.'
I stared at them with a blank expression, making them stop talking. Their eyes widened at the word that left my mouth.
"Farewell."
In one, swift movement, I brought my scythe down. The pirates screamed as they lifted their arms up to brace for the attack...an attack that never came? One by one the pirates opened their eyes to find they...they were perfectly fine! Not a scratch or a nick on them.
"Heh..." one of them chuckled weakly as he patted himself to see that he was perfectly fine. "Heh-hehehehehahahhaa!"The pirates burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter as they all noticed they were perfectly fine.
"Hey girly!" one of them called out, "You missed-!"
He froze as soon as he looked into my cold eyes. His friends didn't seem to notice when I opened my mouth to utter another word.
"Shirubasutoriku." (silver streak)
On cue, a silver streak seemed to shine through the building and instantly, the building collapsed, taking the shocked pirates with it.
"Fools..." I twisted my scythe and let it turn back into a metal bar before I placed it in my satchel. "'In cases of defense, 'tis best to weigh the enemy more might than he seems'. William Shakespeare, King Henry the Fifth." I quoted.
Right, so...that was a complete waste of my time-
"Help me~!"
"Huh," I gazed up at the bird that was flying overhead. "What the hell is that?"
My eyes caught notice of the strange blob that seemed to be struggling in the birds mouth. Probably a helpless prey. Oh well, circle of life.
"Strange," I covered the blazing sun with my hand as I tried to get a closer look at the giant bird. "I swore I heard somethin-"
-BOOM-
"Shit bucket!" I yelled as the bird got blown up by a flying cannon ball. Okay, that was definitely not the circle of life!
-Whoosh-
I planted my feet to the ground as the aftershock of the cannon ball went over the town, causing some of the more unstable buildings to collapse. "Shit." I cursed as I felt the wind mess up some off my stray hairs. "Just how strong was that-"
Crack!
"Thing..."
My heart thumped faster in my chest as I felt the roof crack beneath my feet and, before I could even think, the building collapsed on its self, taking me with it.
Wow, talk about karma.
Okay, how to describe the pain. It felt pretty painful but I'm use to pain. I'm not saying it didn't hurt, No, it felt like a hundred bulls stampeded all over my body. Not to mention since I lifted up my arms to protect my face from the falling bricks it made them feel like they were hit with a ten ton malice a couple of times. But other than that, I was fine. I have a very high pain rate, thanks to my childhood and all of the fires I've been.
'I-I wish I could get out o-of here...'
I wish I could say that was the final thing that raced through my mind but sadly, that would be incorrect seeming that another voice in my mind replied.
"Your desire is mine to answer..."
And before I could panic about the other voice, I blacked out.
Dreamland
Crying.
That's the first thing I heard. The whimpering of a child. The soft sound seemed to echo down the deserted street. I pulled the hood of my light blue cloak down and let my curly white hair fall freely onto my shoulder.
My blue eyes scanned every direction till I focused on another empty road. I stayed focused on it a little longer and after a moment, the whimpering started again. Slowly, I started walking down the road, letting my bare feet relax upon the cold stone ground.
My footsteps soften to the point where no sound came from them. I silently reached the end of the road which was a dead end except for some broken bottles and a few barrels.
I stared at the barrels for a second before I heard another whimpering sound coming from behind it. I let a small smile grace my lips as I smoothly walked around the barrels and I face the back of a small child. She was huddled into a ball as she kept cradling one arm.
I step forward and in doing so knocked a small stone across the floor. On cue, the girl instantly turned and faced me. Her clothes seem torn and her arm had a bullet wound in it.
Again, I step forward but she merely stepped back. Her dirty hand tightens around the small bag she had. Light, jingling sounds came from the bag each time she moved.
I looked into the brown tearful eyes of the little girl with fiery short orange hair. 'Yes' I thought.
'She's part of the picture.'
"It's okay now child." I say in a low voice as I kneel down to her level and removed my white glove from my left hand. "You're safe now."
I touched her forehead with my pale finger and, before she could back away, I mutter one word.
"Rest."
I watched as her eyes seemed to close instantly and I grabbed her before she fell to the floor. I put my glove back on and picked her up bridal style.
"Arlong..."
My hands tighten around the girl as she mumbles in her sleep the name of the man that seemed to cause her so much pain. The fish-man that would haunt her for a few more years.
"Do not fret my darling." I muttered softly as I walked away with the girl in my arms. "Someday you will be freed."
My eyes gazed at the bag of money I placed in her lap.
"But not yet. No..."
I looked back up the road to see a little girl with blond curls in a darker blue cloak staring at me with large innocent eyes.
"It's not time yet, my dear-"
"Nami!" I yelled as I sat up off the bed but I immediately regretted my movement when a sharp pain ran up the arm that was holding me up. Lifting my arm, I noticed the large bump and discolored skin around my wrist. My fingers brushed against the bump making another stinging pain race up my arm and part of my hand- Wait.
"Shit." I scanned my left hand to that the glove I was wearing was gone revealing the weird crescent moon mark with a stranger Japanese rose in the center. I glared daggers at the mark that caused me so much grief as a child. "Where's my glove?" I scanned the bed- Wait.
...
...
...!
...?!
Where the hell am I?!
"What the freak?" I muttered as I scanned the strange house I was in. "Where am I?"
Dozens of different things seemed to be scattered all over the house, some were neatly placed in shelves other were just placed in giant piles on the floor. Little trinkets were dangling from the ceiling and the walls. 'Okay, this place needs some serious redecorating.'
Other than all the random stuff around the place it looked like an average cottage. Except that there weren't any room 'cept the one I was in. I was in what looked like the bed room/living room and up ahead was a counter and what I think is the kitchen.
"Oh, hello dearie. I didn't think you would wake up so soon."
My eyes moved to the door to see an elder lady coming into the room. She didn't look that old but she did have some gray hairs and a blue bandanna, and her face was a little wrinkly. She was wearing a rather large, grey sweater and blue shorts that went a little past her knees. She was holding a bamboo cane in her right hand before she leaned it against the wall.
"Ye took a nasty fall back there back there." she said as she went to the sink in the corner by the door. "Luckily none of ye bones are broken-"
"Ow!" my hand brushed against my wrist.
"-'cept for that sprained wrist that is." she turned to look at me and I notice a look of-recognition? shine in her eyes for a second and then, it was gone. "Ye must have angels looking after ye to survive that."
I snorted. "More like the devil's luck." I mumbled as I though of Eve with a pitch fork and devil horns. Yup. I still think that little angel is the devil in disguise.
"So um, mind telling me where I am?" I asked as she kept moving around the room.
"Oh, no need to fret dearie." she said in a reassuring tone. " You're in my house, near the camp grounds made by the residences of the town." She let out a long, heart felt sigh. " Or what used to be the town."
"So we're in the forest?" I guessed as I remembered spotting a forest when I was on the building.
"Yes," she affirmed, "I, for one, prefer to live out in nature." She got a bowl and started to move back to the sink. "And when Buggy came, the towns people evacuated to the forest grounds."
She turned the faucet and filled the bowl with water. "So far, Buggy hasn't decided to throw one of his cannons over here so we're safe, for now."
I smiled at her. "Thanks for taking care of me miss..."
"Cassandra." she said. "Though some people tend to call me Cassie, and there's this one lass who calls me Sandra." she smiled at me. "Boys will be boys, ey?" she turned back to the sink and turned it off. "By the way, I don't recall catching your name."
"Oh, I'm Melody." I answered as I looked around the room. So far I found a lot of animal statues (mainly bears), a bunch of paintings along with some books, jars, stained glass, and some paper birds that were hanging from the ceiling.
"Ah, the majestic sound of musical notes playing a tone." She smiled at me and I swear I saw that look shine in her eyes again, "What a lovely name."
"You carried me, out of the rubble, all by yourself?" I asked, trying to change the topic.
"Oh no," she mused as she moved a pan away, "I had some help lov'."
"Help," I repeated. "From who?"
"Orrus."
I sent her a puzzled look. "Orrus-?"
Suddenly, a low throaty moan/ rumble came from behind the cluttered door way. A few things clatter and then a... bear head sticks out from the door way?
"Orrus," I mumble in disbelief, "The bear?"
"Well, he's not a dog if that's what you think." The crazy old hag laughed at her own joke while I gawked at the bear.
Hesitantly, I coughed, trying to gain her attention. "...Right. You wouldn't happen to find a map with me by any chance?"
Her laughter slowed to a stop and she looked at me sympathetically. "Sorry lov'," Aw crap. I know where this is going. "The only thing we found was that bag by ye feet-"
Before she could finish that sentence, I grabbed the bag and spilled most of the contents on the bed.
It's not here! "Damn it!"
"May I ask what was so important about it?" Cassandra asked.
"…" Yup, I just sat there with my head down low and my arms over my chest.
She sighed at my stubbornness. "I suppose it's ok if ye don't want to tell me. It's not as if I saved ye and that precious bag. No. And it's not as if I gave ye medical attention."
I felt my eyes twitch. 'Why that sneaky old hag. Trying to one up me.'
"…Fine." I said in a defeated tone, "You see, I want to go to the grandline but I suck at direction and I don't really want to join a pirate crew or start my own so…"
"So?"
I sighed, trying not to think of Nami. "So, I went to steal a map of the grandline from Buggy but, things sort of took a turn for the worst and well, you know the rest."
"That seems like quite the adventure ye young folk are after." she commented. "Exploring the grandline," I swear I saw a knowing glint shine in her eyes when she continued. "many secrets lay beyond that part of the sea."
"Yeah," I looked down as I fiddled with my cap. "but now that dream seems close to impossib-"
Smack!
"Ow!" I glared at the old lady, "What gives granny!"
"To teach ye a lesson," She wiggled her bamboo cane in my face, "Nothing is impossible in this world. Many things can be unlikely but never impossible."
"And you had to hit me with a cane to do that?!"
"Ney." She said with a slight smirk. "That was for all ye questions."
A tick mark appeared on my head as I mumbled a few choice words at the crazy coot.
"Ye know, Ye remind me of an old story that happened in this town."
I waited for her to continue but we just sat in silence for a few minute. Stupid silence.
"…So, what is it?"
"Ah!" I flinched as she raised her cane again only to wiggle it in the air. "Now ye interested in what I have to say!"
I sweat dropped as she laughed at herself again. "…you're a crazy old hag."
"If I'm crazy what does that make yourself!"
I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ye tell me," she smirked slightly, "ye were the one that was found in a collapsed building after trying to steal a map from Buggy, not to mention the mark on ye hand.
I tensed slightly as I unconsciously gripped my left hand tighter. "What do you know about it?"
"Nothing dearie." She smiled, "It's a lovely tattoo."
My eyes widened slightly, "Y-yeah, a tattoo." I'm guessing it kind of does look like a tattoo. Not the first time it was mistaken as one-
I felt the bed dip slightly and I finally noticed she moved to sit at the end of the bed. "What are you doing?" I asked, a little uneasy.
"Ye want to hear my story, don't ye?" I faintly nodded my head and she placed the bowl of water on a stool next to the bed.
"It happened a few years back," she started as she grabbed a cloth and dipped it into the bowl. "Some of the town's men gathered together to go explore the forest grounds to see if they can expand the town."
"A couple hours later an earthquake hit the town," I flinched slightly as she started wetting my sprain wrist with the cloth. "luckily, it only caused some minor damage. However, when the towns men didn't come back that night, people began to worry."
"What happened?" I asked.
Cassie smiled at me with a knowing look in her eyes. "The earthquake that hit the ground also caused a mud slide in the forest. All the towns' men were stuck in a cave they were exploring."
"And where's the cave?"
"It's gone."
"Gone?"
She nodded, "That's right lass, buried beneath the mud slide. No one's been able to find it since." She had a distant look in her eyes like she was recalling a memory. "They were trapped there for two days. Their families had almost given up hope on them. That is..."
"That is?'" I waited for her to continue as she started rapping my wrist.
"...That is til the fire."
Now this caught me off guard. "Fire?"
"Oh." she saw my sympathetic and confused expression and lightly smiled. "It's not what you think lov'. Ye see, a bright light seemed to come from the forest and it disappeared during midday. By that time the towns men had returned."
"How?"
"They say a light guided them out of the cave and through the forest and it disappeared when they reached the town."
"Alright but you said there was a fire," I reminded her.
She nodded again. "There was. As soon as the towns men were reunited with their loved ones another earthquake hit the town and a pillar of fire erupted from the center of the forest and dissipated into the sky."
"...Okay..." I said kinda speechless. What was I suppose to say after hearing something like that.
"I see ye don't believe me." she playfully smirked at me as she started to take the bowl back to the kitchen.
"No, I do it's just that this story is a lot to take in." I smiled at her. "It's very interesting."
"Oh," she smiled back with a gleam in her eyes. "Then you'll find this more interesting." she placed the bowl down and looked back at me. "Before the fire dissipated, it took the shape of a bird."
I blinked. and blinked. and oh look! another blink.
"A...fire..bird..." I mumbled in slight shock, "A phoenix?"
She nodded at me, "At least, that's the story." She grabbed a basket and looked back at me, "Now do ye believe in the impossible.
I folded my arms at her, "It's kinda hard without any proof, for all I know you could be lying to me."
"Now why would I waste my time lying to a lass like yourself." she retorted. "Especially about a phoenix, the bird of navigation."
What? "The bird of navigation?" I looked at her curiously, "What do you mean by that?"
"Well," and it's story time again. "Legend has it, that the phoenix can never get lost. Something to do with its connections to islands and other birds."
"..." I don't know what to believe. My reality is walking out the door right now.
She turns away and after a second, I collect my thoughts and glance at the bed to see most of my stuff scattered on it. I put most of my things away, half conscious. I kept thinking about what Cassie said.
'The bird of navigation?' I placed my dream journal away, not noticing how Cassandra kept glancing back at the bed. 'That's better than a map.'
I broke out of my thoughts just as I was grabbing the last thing on the bed. 'I almost forgot about this...' It was the hand mirror I took from the marine base when I was escaping. My fingers traced the white wing that decorated the side of the mirror. My other hand lightly gripped the handle that was in the shape of a girl. My fingers traced all the way down to the girl and started going back up to the black wing.
An angel. A little angel with a black and white wings. It looked so beautiful, it kind of makes me wonder what a mirror like this was doing in a marine base. Even if it did belong to a pirate, I bet they would have sold it.
"That's a lovely mirror you have their dearie." Cassie commented as her brown eyes gazed at the mirror with interest.
"Oh," I looked over the mirror, "it's nothing special."
"Are you sure?" she smiled as I blinked at her. Why does she have a gleam in her eyes? "It looks to me that it's very special indeed."
"..." I looked back at the mirror for a few seconds before I put it back it the satchel. Seriously, that lady is creepy.
"Now." I looked back at her and she had a blue bandanna around her hair and a basket in her hand. "Try not to do anything with that hand, and don't put too much pressure on it dearie."
"H-hey," I watched her walk towards the door. "where are you going?"
"What, do I need permission to leave my own house?" Cassie said as I nervously shook me head.
"No,no, it's not that." I corrected as I waved my hands in front of me as I tried to find the right words. "I'm just curious."
She looked amused by my slight nervousness and smiled at me. "Ye need not to worry, I'm only getting some more herbs." She turned to face Orris that was laying on the ground it boredom. "Look after our guest, can you do that Orris."
A light moan came from him and she nodded at him...WAIT! WHAT DOES SHE MEAN LOOK AFTER?!
"Wait! I can't leave?!" I cried out in outrage at what she just said.
"Not til you're better lass." she answer just as she walked out the door.
...If she wasn't an old lady, I would punch her...no, now that I think about it, I wouldn't mind punching an old lady.
I grumbled in annoyance as I searched through my bag. Like hell I'm staying here! Orrus moaned at me as I angrily kept searching my bag.
"Oh calm down!" I told him as I grabbed what I was looking for. "I'm just grabbing something."
What was the mystery thing I was looking for? A flute.
I placed the wodden flute by my mouth and started play a soft, light tune that the bear didn't seem to notice but after a minute his eyes got haze and his head started dropping. After a few more seconds he laid down. I smirked as I placed the flute back in my satchel.
"Sorry lady." I jumped of the bed and slipped on my boots. "But I don't like being ordered around."
"She's on the move." A blue cloaked figure watched as a girl in a red cap slowly closes the door to a cottage house and swiftly runs into the forest. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes." The second blue cloak figure says in a slightly lower voice, "Everything is in place."
"Good." the more feminine voice replied, "Eliot is worried as it is." she says, slightly concerned.
"He he has no need to worry." The boy in the cloak pats the girl's shoulder in reassurance. "She will find her way to him soon." A small smile can be seen from beneath the hooded boy as he looks at the direction the red cap girl went running to. "Right now she must release the phoenix for the plan to continue."
"She'll find the cave, won't she?"
"Don't worry." He pulled down his hood to reveal his light brown hair that is hidden behind the elephant mask he wore. A slight smirk meet his lips as he answered his friend's question. "I made sure she wouldn't miss it."
...why do I have the feeling I'm being watched?
I glanced back to the direction of the cottage before picking up my pace.
When I stepped out of the cottage, I felt like someone was watching me, so I ran out of there...but I can't get that feeling of my chest.
As I walked deeper into the forest I kept thinking about the story of the phoenix.
"Now why would I waste my time lying to a lass like yourself. Especially about a phoenix, the bird of navigation."
If the story is real then there was a phoenix. So, then the first place I should check is the cave. But...
"How the hell am I supposed to find that c-" My foot tripped on a root and before I knew it I was lying face first in the dirt.
"Uhg..." without putting pressure on my sprained wrist, I slowly sat up...to find most of the stuff from my satchel fell out.
"Seriously." I mumbled in annoyance as I began to put my things away. I went to go grab the last thing which was the mirror. Suddenly, the memory of what the lady said resurfaced.
I brought the mirror closer so I could study it. It had a pretty handle and the white and black wings that framed the mirror was pretty, but I didn't really see anything special about it. "What's so special about a mirror-?"
A bright light came from the mirror and I instantly closed my eyes due to the brightness. The bright light wasn't weird. No. What was weird was the face that was in the mirror. A face that was not my own reflection. I let my jaw fall to the floor as the girl in the mirror spoke.
Yeah. you read that right. She spoke.
"I am the mirror of revelation." she stated with a calm voice."I reflect people's most inner thoughts and desires. I can also reflect their personalities, both the good and the bad. Does that answer your question?"
I blinked. "My...question?" I couldn't stop staring at her. She looked...kinda creepy but in a innocent way. She had long, black hair and she was wearing something that looked like a old time dress. It was black and white, like a maid outfit.
I couldn't see her whole body since the mirror only showed a little past her shoulder. But the one thing that stood out was her eyes. Her eyes seem so empty, so vast. Just plain white with no pulp what so ever. It's as if her eyes reflect everything. And they had the mark of the Ankh around them.
"Yes, your question."
"...What was the question again?"
She stared at me for a few seconds before answering. "You asked 'what was so special about a mirror?' Did I answer your question?"
"Um...yeah you did." I stood up slowly. "who are you?"
"Yours to command." What? "You are now the new owner of the mirror therefor you are my new master. I am here to answer any questions you have, since that is the agreement."
"What agreement?" I asked.
"...That is something I cannot really recall."
"Wait!" I looked at her, shocked. "You mean to tell me you don't remember an agreement you made that got you stuck in this mirror?"
She gave me a faint nod. "That's right."
"...Well that sucks." I blankly replied.
"Not exactly," She responded. "I believe if I cannot remember, then it's something I should not remember."
I snorted. "To bad I'm not like you," I glanced around the forest. "I'm doing all this cause I want to remember."
I sighed as I kept walking. "I just have no idea where the cave is."
"I know where it is."
I blinked and looked at her, "You do?"
She nodded. "I can tell alot from this area by just being here," she responded. "just like I could tell that woman you were speaking to earlier was lying to you.
"Lying about what?" I asked in a slightly bored tone.
"The cave that she spoke about." Zing. Now I'm interested.
"She knows where it is?!"
"Yes," mirror girl said.
"Then why did she say it was lost."
"...I'm unsure."
I sighed. "Of coarse you are." I looked back at her curiously, "So you know where it is just by being near her?"
Nod. "Yes."
"So where is it?"
"Just turn north-east and start walking."
"Okay." I started walking in that direction and hoped for the best. I'm pretty sure I should be freaking out by the talking mirror but after everything that happened today, I doubt that anything can really surprise me anymore.
"Why did you help her?"
"Huh?" I broke out of my thoughts as mirror girl spoke again.
"That girl, Nami, why did you help her?"
"Cause it felt right." I simply responded. 'How does she know about Nami?' I was going to ask her but she interrupted me.
"...But that wasn't your main objective."
At this point I stopped walking and my grip on the handle of the mirror increased. "How did you know that."
"I bounded to my master, therefore I am bounded to your memories too."
My eyes widened slightly at this, "So...you've seen everything, huh?"
She nodded her head, "Yes. It surprised me when your goal switched from stealing the map and leaving Nami to being the diversion and helping her escape."
"...People change their mind." I said in a monotone tone.
So...she's seen everything. Then...
"Hey..." I started in a way to dark and low voice, "you say I'm your master, right?"
"Yes."
"So you'll do whatever I'll tell you?" I inquired.
"That is part of the agreement." she noted, "If I can comply to my owners wishes then I must do so."
"Then don't tell anyone anything about me," I immediately order as I brought the mirror closer to my face, letting her see my serious, killer expression. "or I'll shatter you into a million pieces."
"Very well then." she agreed, "However, I don't believe you needed to threaten me."
"Hey!" She is seriously pissing me off! "You saw my memories so you know who I am and how I react!" I shoved the mirror into my satchel and continued walking deeper into the forest.
-BOOM-
"What," I looked back from where I came from as some birds flew overhead thanks to that loud explosion. "Another cannon ball? What's going on back there?"
A few minutes earlier in town…
"Captain Buggy!"
"Admos?" Buggy questioned as he looked over his crew member. His clothes looked rather torn and his face didn't seem to be in any better condition. "What happened?"
"I-it was one of the thieves." he stuttered, making the party that was happening around him go quiet. "The raven-haired girl, s-she took everyone out."
"Everyone?" he questioned as he eyed Admos.
"W-well, not everyone." He clarified. "I was able to get out of all that rubble-"
"Rubble?" Buggy parroted, "What rubble?"
"W-well, the girl made a building crash on top of us, well mainly the others."
"Oh?" Buggy let the anger flash through his eyes, "Is that so?"
The pirate nodded. "Luckily, I kinda fell of the building before she attack so I didn't get that hurt but everyone else…"
"And tell me Admos, where is the girl?"
Admos gulped at the dark aura that started to surround his captain. "She d-didn't get away, i-if that's what you're asking."
Nami, who was in the back of the group, felt her heart stop. No.
"There was another pile of rubble not too far away from ours," he pulled out a small, ripped map from his back pocket that made Nami's eyes go wide. "I found this sticking out from some of the rubble."
Buggy hummed as he rubbed his chin. He knew Nami stole his map but she never mentioned that she had a partner.
"Nami!" he called out to the girl, luckily he didn't notice she was inching away from the party. "What do you know about this?"
"S-sir!" Nami saluted, continuing to act like his crew member. "The raven haired girl was my partner. She double crossed me and tried to take off with the map, luckily she didn't noticed when I switched the map as she ran away."
"So," Buggy grinned evilly, "she's a traitor."
"That's right." Nami lied.
"In that case, why don't we give your partner a flashy good bye gift." Nami shivered as she saw the evil glint in Buggy's eyes. "Men! Load up the cannon!"
Everyone let out a hearty cheer as they readied their captain's infamous Buggy ball. One of the pirates heaved out an enormous cannon while another brought a bigger than normal red cannonball with Buggy's jolly roger on it.
"All set captain!" The pirates announced as they finished setting the Buggy ball in the cannon that was pointing towards the town.
Nami's faced paled slightly. " W-what are you going to do with that thing?"
"Just observe," Buggy said as a evil, twisted look appeared on his clown face. "the awesome might of the Buggy ball. Light it!"
Nami didn't understand why the Buggy ball was so special...that is, until they fired it. It didn't go off with just a bang like a normal cannonball did. No. This one went of in what can only be described as a fire ball. The blast was catastrophic. In a blinding explosion, rows of houses were knocked down like they were dominoes. Debris flew everywhere, basically covering most of the area. It was an attack meant to destroy everything in its path.
"Well that was flashy, wasn't it boys!" Buggy's men cheered at their captain, the only one who decided to stay quite was Nami who continued to stare at the destruction in front of her.
"Well, how 'bout it men!" Buggy walked toward Nami with a box of matches in his hands. "Let's show that traitor what happens when you mess with the Buggy pirates!"
The Buggy pirates cheered as they readied another Buggy ball into the cannon. The men pushed the cannon in a certain direction.
"You said it happened over there, right?" Buggy asked Admos who eagerly nodded his head.
"Very well then." he turned to Nami, "Well Nami, since it was your partner that betrayed you-" he took out a box of matches an placed them in her hand, "then you should be the one to do the honors."
Nami stared wide eyed at the box of matches in her hands. 'No'. The pirates cheered her on as she turned to the cannon. 'it wasn't suppose to turn out like this.'
She was only going to stay there and wait for the pirates to get drunk so she could steal their treasure, take back the map, and possibly go find Melody. But now everything changed. Her plan slowly back fired when she heard that Melody got trapped after taking out some of Buggy's men. Now she was being asked to kill by the same pirates scum she was going to steal from.
Her eyes widened in horror at that thought. While she barely knew Melody, the thought of kill her, killing Melody, was to much. But...if she didn't fire the cannon, she'd be killed and after all the troubled she went through...but if she didn't light it, she'd forever have blood on her hands.
"Hey! you're not wimping out are you?!" Nami jumped slightly at the sound of Buggy's impatient voice. Unconsciously, her hands started shaking slightly as she thought about lighting the cannon.
"What's the matter?" Nami froze at the sound of that voice, almost forgetting the existence of her so called 'Boss' that was trapped in a cage practically in front of the cannon. "Your hands are shaking," he pointed out and as a result, she gave him an angry look, thought he simply ignored it and continued. "This is what happens when you take on pirates with half-assed resolve."
Anger flared in her by what he just said, at what the pirate just said. "Resolve to do what?" To kill someone like it's nothing? Is that a pirate's resolve?"
"No." A small smile appeared on the straw hatted boy's face, "You gotta be willing to risk your own life."
"The girl they were talking about, she was ready to risk everything even if it meant dying." He looked at her and she was slightly taken back by the strange look he had on his face. "Now, will you do the same for her."
Now it was Nami's turn to stare at the boy with a strange look in her eyes.
"Here," one of the pirates grabbed the match from her hands, "Let me show you rookie."
As his hand went to light the fuse, Nami's eyes darkened. She had to choose. To either watch and do nothing or risk her life to follow what she knew was right...
Smack! Thud.
...she was never really the type of girl to stand back and do nothing.
"Nami! What is the meaning of this out rage?!" Buggy demanded as he stared at said girl who was holding a wooden staff right above the now unconscious pirate.
"...I'm not willing to stoop to the same level as you inhumane pirates." Nami stated.
The shadows continued to cover her eyes as she clenched her staff to the point that her knuckles turned white. "Pirates took the life of a person very dear to me." She looked up to glare at a enraged and slighly shocked Buggy. "I'll never be one of them!"
The boy in the cage nodded his head at her statement in understanding. "I see...AHHHHHHHHH! NAMI! THE FUSE!"
And, let's just say things went pretty south from there.
"Stupid talking mirror..." I mumbled as I step over a fallen log. "Thinks she knows everything 'bout me."
Okay. So technically I was bad mouthing a mirror. So what! I have my reasons. Technically, it has a spirit so I'm just bad mouthing a person stuck in a mirror. I'm not crazy. No. The talking mirror's crazy.
"First a exploding bird, then a pet bear," I counted, "then a talking mirror."
I sighed as my day seemed to get weirder and weirder, "and now I'm looking for a legend."
"CAN THIS DAY GET ANY WEIRDER?!" I yelled at the sky, causing the birds nearby to fly away. I bet they think I'm crazy too-
Rumble...
I blinked as I felt the ground below me start to shift.
Rumble
"What the hell?" I mutter as I decided to move before something-
RUMBLE!
-And the ground caved in. Perfect. Just perfect.
A shriek escaped my throat as I found myself falling down the freshly made hole. I felt it get colder as I let gravity bring down the hole. Half way through the fall the ground started to rise and instead of falling, I found myself tumbling down a narrow tunnel.
THUD!
"...Ouch." I croaked as I stood up to rub my sore body. A voluntary hissed came out of my throat the moment I brushed my injured wrist. The words Cassie said to me rang through my head.
"Try not to do anything with that hand, and don't put too much pressure on it dearie."
I scoffed, "It's a little late for that." I looked around the dimly lit...Cave?
"Great," I sighed. "Where am I now-?"
"We're here."
In a bright flash, I was holding the angelic mirror in my hands. 'I didn't know she could do that-'
"There are many things I can do that you don't know." Mirror girl said in her monotone voice but it still sounded cocky to me.
I felt my eyes twitch in annoyance. "Y' know, I don't like you reading my thoughts."
"I cannot help it." She defended with that neutral look on her face, "I am made to answer your questions, whether you speak it or not-"
"Fine! Little miss know-it-all..." I glanced around the cave again, "Do you mind telling me where we are?"
"...I already answered that question"
"Huh?" I titled my head, "When?"
"Just a moment ago." she stared at me with those pupil-less eyes, "I don't like it when you play dumb."
"Like I care." I replied as I kept looking around. I hate that she can see straight through my 'Melody' act. Damn, why did she have to see my memories.
"Since we're here mind telling me where to go?" I asked in a commanding tone.
"Walk forward til you see a glow."
"A glow?" I started walking deeper into the cave, not really noticing the dust or small rumbles that were heard above. "What glow?"
"You'll see it soon enough."
Annnnddddd, I feel like punching her now. After muttering a few choice words at the mirror (Hey! don't judge me!) and walking for a few more minutes, I started to see a slight glow and after a few more steps I found myself in a tunnel full of glowing...mushroom?
"Okay." I looked around the area, finding small glowing blue/green mushrooms all over the walls and some parts on the ground. "Where to now?"
"Look to your left and you should see a small tunnel."
I looked to my right and just like she said, there it was. "Let me guess, I have to go through it."
"Yes."
My hand slide against the cold stone wall as I slide through the tunnel which was basically a large, human size crack in the wall. When I made it through the other side I saw, wait for it, another room that looked just like the last only it didn't have mushrooms.
"This is the place?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes." Mirror girl said, like always.
"Are you sure?" I looked around or at least tried to. You can't see much in the dark. "There isn't anythin-"
Boom! The room lit on fire. Literally, the area in front of me burst into flames. I jumped slightly when I saw fire cover the walls and the ceiling. It was kind of spooky, like in a move when all the lights turn off only now all the lights turn on.
Instinctively, I backed away. Me and fire don't really mix, it brings back to many bad memories. I was half tempted to leave to cave til I heard something echoe in my head.
'Please...'
My eyes widened as I thought I saw something in the fire.
'Don't leave.'
The voice...it sounded kinda...sad.
Has anyone ever told you not to put your hand over and open. Yeah, I'm not one of those people. I slowly walked toward the flames and stuck my hand in it. WARNING. Don't do this at home kids.
I watched as the flames enveloped my hand and waited for the burning to start...but it never came. It felt kind of nice actually. I saw something flicker in the fire and I reached in a little farther. When my hand touched something solid I grabbed it and pulled it out.
Instantly, the fire around me disappeared as I gazed at the orange orb in my hand. It looked and felt like it was made of a type of glass.
"Funny," I looked over the orb, "for a moment, I thought I heard something come from the fire."
-Rumble-
Dust started to fall from the ceiling as a loud rumble came from above. A loud cracking sound soon followed and the walls of the cave start to crumble. "What's happening?" I asked as I backed away from the walls.
"The walls have weakened over the years from all the pressure of the extra dirt from the mud slide and the cannon balls that have hit the town have caused more dirt to fall-"
"Making the pressure too immense to handle." I finish. "In other words the cave is collapsing on itself."
Mirror girl nodded. "Precisely."
"Just my lu-"
Another rumble past through the cave and when I looked back I saw the small passage I came through get blocked of by some rather large rocks.
"Ok." I backed away just in case some more rocks would fall. "Looks like going back the way I came is out of the question."
'Release me from my prison.'
My eyes widened as I heard the voice again. Suddenly, the orb in my hand started to glow and I heard the voice speak again.
'...and I will forever stay by your side.'
I was right. I brought the orb closer to my face. There is something trapped in here.
'Then save me.' I mentally responded as I began to crush the orb. 'And freedom is yours.'
All at once, the orb broke and the walls around me started to crumble. Everything came crashing down at me, and then something else happened.
Instantly, a warm, fiery embrace took hold of me and in a flash I found myself going through the top of the cave and flying in the sky. Well, technically it wasn't me flying it was the phoenix I was on.
Wait...
"What the hell?!" I shout in surprise but mainly shock.
Yup! My day just got stranger. I'm on the back of a giant phoenix. It's red feathers flickered like flames as it flew and it had two long orange yellowish feathers coming from the top of its head. I glanced back and saw three large, purple tail feathers. It flickered in the sky as it flew a little faster. I gripped onto the flaming feathers on its back. It felts just like the flames from the cave.
"Are you alright m'lady?"
My eyes widened slightly as the phoenix turned around and looked at me as he spoke. Yeah, he spoke. There is no problem with animals speaking in this world. Nope. none, none what so ever!
"Y-yeah I'm f-fine." I answered as I stared at him in awe. "Can you put m-me down?"
He nods his head. "Certainly m'lady." he swoops down to a small clearing in the forest and once he lands I slowly jump down. My blue eyes just stare at the sight in front of me. A phoenix.
"You're...you're real." I muttered in disbelief as he looked at me.
"Yes," he answered in a strong but friendly voice, "and I am free thanks to you, m'lady."
I blinked as I tried to calm down. "It was nothing, I just didn't want to die and I don't think you wanted to either."
A low chuckle came from him. "No I did not." he looked at me and I'm pretty sure if he didn't have a black beak he would be smiling. "Since you release me I must honor our agreement."
"Agreement?" I questioned as I tried to remember what he was talking about. "Oh...you don't have to if you don't want to."
"Nonsense." he replied, "I would be honored to travel with my savior."
I laughed at his choice of words. Savior, that's not something I would call myself.
"So," I folded my hands behind my head. "since we're gonna be together for now until the end apparently, do you have a name?"
"...Unfortunately, no." He looked at me with his fierce green eyes, "I was just, as you would say, 'born' so I have no name."
"Hmmm." I placed my finger on my chin as I tried to think of a name. It has to be a real name, not a pet name like cuddles or mittens, and it has to mean something. "I got it!"
"What?"
"Raizo."
He blinked at me. "Ray-zo?"
"Yeah!" I walked up to him and patted his feathers which felt pretty solid now. "R-a-i-z-o."
He slightly tilted his head. "May I ask how you came up with that?"
I placed my hand on my hip as I started explaining, "Well, first part is "rai"- like a ray of sun- only I replaced the y with an "i" and "zo" is the shorten word of zoetic which means alive and awake." I explained as he thoughtfully looked up.
"Raizo." He tested the name out.
I nodded at him. "I think it suits you."
"I believe it does too."
"So," I patted his side, "shall we get going, Raizo?"
"Yes m'lady."
I reached out to get on but a sharp stinging went through my wrist. "Crap" I seethed through my teeth as I rubbed my wrist.
"Is everything alright?" Raizo asked me as he curiously looked at the cloth wrapped around my wrist.
"It's nothing." I replied, "just a sprain wrist. It'll heal in a few days."
He lowers his head and tilts his head to the side and starts...crying? His tears fall on my wrist and slowly, the pain in my wrist goes away. When he stopped crying I took of the cloth and moved my wrist. It, it didn't hurt. No pain, no stinging, nothing.
"How..."
"The memories of my ancestors show me that our tears have healing properties."
"Cool." I said as I went on him. "You ready?"
"I believe I am suppose to ask you that m'lady." he replied with a hint of amusement. He flapped his large wings and, in a matter of seconds, we were gliding through the air.
I leaned forward as gripped his feathers a little more lightly. Flying. I never thought I'd see the day I would fly in the air without being in a plane. The wind ruffles my hair and I decide to take off my scrunchy and let my hair move with the wind.
The crystal blue sky seems to go on forever and so does the ocean. I breathe in the fresh air I lay on Raizo's back. This is what freedom feels like. No limits, no boundaries, no one holding you back or keeping you down. Just live life to the fullest.
"That's strange." Raizo muttered and I broke out of my thoughts and looked at him curiously.
"What's strange?" I asked as he looked down at the docks.
"What are those people up to?" he questioned making me look down to see three pirates hanging around Nami's ship. There probably part of Buggy's crew only...they look familiar.
My eyes widened as I remember them from earlier. They were the people
"Hey, Raizo." he looked back to see a smirk on my face, "Mind going down so I can say 'hello'?"
It looked like he was smiling at me as he started to dive down. "Of course m'lady."
"Hey," Luffy said as he looked at the three guys that were tied up by their ship. "Who are those guys?"
"Huh?" Zoro looked up, trying to not put to much weight on Luffy since he was leaning on him. Slight recognition entered his and Nami's eyes as they stared at the tied up pirates. "Oh, it's them."
"Who?" Luffy questioned, not really noticing how Nami was making her way to the tied up pirates.
"They're the guys that tried to steal our boat earlier while I was chasing after you and that stupid bird."
"Oh, okay." Luffy looked over to see Nami holding a piece of paper in her hand. "Oi, Nami, what do you have there?"
"What?!" Nami looked up from the paper and nervously smiled at Zoro and Luffy, who were staring at her, "Oh, nothing." She crumbled the paper and threw it away. "Shouldn't we be going?"
Zoro looked at her skeptically but shrugged it off as Luffy helped him into the boat. It's that witches problem, not his.
Nami hopes on the her boat and sails out into the ocean side by side with Zoro's and Luffy's boat. Just before they got to far from the island, Nami looked back.
Her eyes gleamed as she remembered what was written on the paper she found next to the pirates. The same group of pirates that she and Melody stole there boat from.
Dear Nami,
I saw those pirates from earlier hanging around the ship so I decided to take care of them for you. I hope I get to see you again in the grandline. Keep following your dream, I know they'll come true. Besides, I want to be the first one to see that map of yours!
Yours truly,
Melody~
Nami let a faint smile grace her lips as she recalled the conversation she had earlier with that girl.
Flashback
"Well, what's your dream?" Melody asked Nami as she sat near Blu who was pulling the boat.
"My dreams aren't very important." Nami simply replied before she looked back on the ocean.
"Sure it is! All dreams are!"
Nami sighed at the high spirited girl. "...I wanna draw a map of the whole world."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but it's impossible."
"Never say 'impossible'." Melody remarked. "Nothing is ever 'impossible'...it could be improbable but not impossible."
Melody giggled to herself and Nami felt a tick mark coming.
"What?" Nami said a little annoyed. "What's so funny?"
Melody stifled her giggles by placing her gloved hand on her mouth, "I bet someone will come and help you accomplish your dreams. You just have to let them in first."
Nami blinked as the girl finally calmed down. "What do you mean?"
"Trust and faith." She said in a positive tone. "That's all you need to go accomplish your dreams."
End Flashback
Nami turned away from the island and gazed at the two people she'll be staying with for a while. The two pirates.
"Trust and faith."
Nami inwardly scowled at herself when she thought about trust those pirates. 'How can you trust something you hate...but'
Nami watched as she Luffy try to mimick Buggy and Zoro punched his arms in annoyance only to have Luffy laugh it off.
'...they don't look like normal pirates...'
Nami shook her head as she tried to get rid of the thought. 'No. All pirates are dirty scums of the sea. They just take anything they want, not caring who they hurt to get it!'
'But...it wouldn't be so bad to stay with them. At least until they help me get more money...wait.'
Nami looked at he bag of beli Luffy helped her take. The one bag. 'Weren't there two...?'
"Oi! Luffy!" said boy turned around to see a confused Nami, "weren't there two bags of beli?"
"Un." Luffy nodded his head as he grinned at her. "I left it for the towns people!"
...
...
...What?
"YOU IDIOT!"
"Thanks for pointing out those men, Raizo."
"It was not trouble at all m'lady."
I giggle slightly at the term. "You don't have to call me that. Just Melody would be fine."
"Understood M'la- Melody-sama."
Another giggle escaped me when I heard the slight mistake. 'He was going to call me m'lady again...'
After we stopped to take care of the pirates, I wrote a little note for Nami telling her that I'm fine. I think she might be a little surprise when she sees those pirates tied up there. It was the least I could do to help Nami. After all, she helped me get this far..
A small smile graced my lips as I thought of the conversation I had with Nami earlier. I knew what her dream was, I just wanted her to admit it. Plus, it was nice to have a conversation that didn't involve her hitting me.
But...
My face slightly fell as I remembered the rest of the conversation I had with Nami...
Flashback
"Okay, then what's your dream?"
"..."
Nami blinked. "Mel?"
"...My dream?" I parroted in a low voice as I let my cap shadowed my eyes.
Nami stared at me as the silence seemed to draw out. After what felt like an eternity, I spoke in a slightly low voice.
"...I want my voice to be heard." I looked up at Nami and, just for a moment, Nami saw something flash in my eyes before I continued talking. "I want people to hear my voice. I want the world to know my name...I want to share my voice with everyone and...and help people find their own voice..."
"...do you think your dream will come true?"
I looked up at her, slightly taken back by the question, before I could answer, Blu made a low, moaning sound.
'Whew, saved by the bell or in this case, the giant sea monster.'
My eyes widened as I saw something in the distance, slowly making its way toward us. "Hey, look Nami!"
"It's another boat!" She beamed.
"And that's Buggy's mark, isn't it!" I pointed out as I looked closer at the jolly roger on the small ship's sail.
"It is!" Nami cheered as she saw the small dingy with a strange jolly roger sign on it. "C'mon!" Nami urged as she went to untie Blu's rope.
"Um..." I watched in confusion as Nami continued to untie Blu, "Whacha doing?"
"C'mon, Mel." Nami looked at me with that all sneaky smirks of hers. "I have a plan."
End Flashback
'My dream...'
"Is something wrong M'lady?"
"Huh?" I broke out of my thoughts and looked up at Raizo's concerned expression.
I shook my head, "No," I flashed him a smile, "everything's fine. I was just remembering something, That's all."
I could see the uncertainty in his eyes but he must have known to mind his own business since he looked forward and kept flying.
The only goal I had in life was to figure out who I was, to try and remember my past. When Nami asked me what my dream was, I didn't know what to say. I told her the first thing that popped into my head. But...the more I think about it the more I wonder...
"Was that my dream..." I looked up at the sky with a longing expression.
Do I really want to be heard...
"Leave me alone!"
"You can't, we had a deal."
"You can't get out of the business so easily."
Do I really want to be noticed...
"I never asked for this!"
"Someone! Help us!"
"NO!"
...Especially after what happened last time.
"Orrus." Cassandra eyed the sleeping bear that was taking up most of the floor. "Sleeping on the job again are ye?"
A low moan escaped the bear as he opened his still sleepy eyes.
"I see our guest has left us." She noted as she gazed at the now empty bed. "Honestly, if ye can't trust a bear, who can ye trust?"
Orrus let out a throaty roar and Cassie's lips seemed to curve into a smirk. "Ye don't say." She murmured. "Well then, it's time for you to get some much needed rest."
The bear moaned one last time bear as a bright light consumed it, and once it died out, a wooden statue of a bear was left on the floor. Cassandra picked up the bear statue and placed it in her basket full of herbs.
"So," she smiled at what Orris just said. "the bird knows how to sing?" She knew she would meet her again, after all it's been three years, but she didn't think she would see her so soon. And she has her flute back apparently. The plan's coming together faster than expected...
"Well, it looks like the flower might bloom sooner than expected ey," She glanced at the pair of blue cloaked people that stood behind her. "Younglings?"
Simultaneously, they pulled down their hoods to reveal the animal masks that covered their eyes. The one on the left wore a mask of a grey elephant with long ears and the one on the right had a brown mouse mask that had big brown, round ears.
"The pieces have already been set." The boy in the elephant mask noted.
The mouse nodded. "The picture has been seen." A lighter, feminine voice added.
They both opened their mouths and what they said next made Cassandra smile.
"The bird will sing and the world will not be able to ignore."
Red: ...
Nami: Hey writer-san
What?
Nami: How long was this cha-
Red: WAIT! NAMI DON-
IT'S OVER NINE THOUSSAAAAANNNNN-
Red:...
Nami:...
NNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
RED:...*sigh* I'll say it again, you're hopeless.