Days in and out, I have been hunting and bring back food for Ryuu. Sometimes, I hunt fish since it is easier for Ryuu to eat rather than a chewy deer or rabbit. My skills has increase as well. My Bite attack is a level five, while my glare is a level four. I acquire some nice titles that are very helpful like, Amateur Fisherman, and Rabbit Hunter.
As the days go by, I wander around the forest, I went up a cliff to look down to see a human village of sorts. I stay away from there for now. I don't smell Apis anymore, it's there, but very faint. I wonder what happen to her.
Yet, I can't get too curious, if I go to the town and investigate that might kill me or worse, I lead them to Ryu. I can't let that happen. I chomp down the fish tighter as I see my home, jogging back inside to see Ryuu waiting for me.
"I'm back," I said, my tail wagging in happiness. Ryuu doesn't talk that much, but they appreciated the fish as they scoff it down. I grin, as I drink some water here. Once done, I make myself a spot next to Ryuu and try to go to sleep, hoping that Apis can come home quick. I notice a different air with Ryuu, and I don't understand. Are they sad that Apis is not here? Please don't be sad. I nuzzle with them.
Dozing off, I would have wild dreams, of running in the meadows, living on a farm. Sometimes, I would hear someone call my name, but I can't make it out. I jolt awake, when I smell something very familiar. My tail wags, waking up Ryu.
"Grandpa Ryu?...Growlithe?" A familiar voice. I stand and see Apis rounding the corner. I bark happily, running towards her. I jump, making her stumble back.
"You're back! We miss you! Where were you? Are you okay?" I ask her, licking her face. Ryuu huffs and gently picks me up. I whine as they nips at me to calm down. I sit down and Apis giggles.
"Sorry for making you worry, Grandpa Ryuu. I promise to never leave you like that again," she said as she pets them. Ryuu jumps grumbles a bit. She takes something out of her bag. I perk up,smelling that good meat bun. Ryuu quickly forgives her and starts to eat it. She let me have one too.
"Be careful, Grandpa Ryuu," Apis giggles as Ryuu gulps down five meat buns in one go. I take a few nibbles, blowing on it since it is piping hot. While we were eating, Apis tells us on where she has been. It seems that the Marines caught on that Apis can talk to animals and the legend of Lost Island. How she escape into the sea and was found by pirates.
"Yet, I haven't found a clue where the Lost Island is, Grandpa Ryuu," she said, talking to them. My ears perk up, something is here. I let out a small bark. My nose is trying to smell what's out there. Meat. That's all I can smell is more meat and a slight tangerine smell.
"Hey, Apis! Who are you talking to?" Someone comes forward. It was a man with a strawhat, walking towards us, waving his hand. I let out a growl and step forward.
"Stand back! Get away from us!" I bark at him. I see a woman with him, and she looks angry with that man. Apis spreads her am, protecting Ryuu.
"No! Don't come here!" She yells at him. I lower my head, showing my teeth, but this man wasn't bother at all. He happily grins and moves closer. Then he sees Ryuu and is awe.
"Wow!" The woman comes closer, wondering what he is seeing.
"Luffy, what's the matt-" she stops as she sees how massive Ryuu is. She has a face scared of Ryuu, but this Luffy guy looks like a kid in a candy store. Then he looks at me.
"Amazing! Look, an orange mysterious dog," he said, trying to pet me. I let out a low growl.
"Stop it. I'll bite! I'LL Bite!" I warn him. I snap and almost biting him, but he quickly gets his hand out of my face. Apis tries to protect me too.
"Leave us alone," she said, but Luffy goes wild as he goes around touching Ryuu.
"Are they alive? Are they real?" he asks. I'm gob smack, as he goes around touching them, rubbing his face next to their face. Ryuu just looks at him. Apis and I grabs on his clothes and starts to pull Luffy away from Ryuu.
"Get away from him," Apis tells him. Luffy just grins and goes with it.
"This is incredible! Where did you come from?" he asks, rubbing Ryuu's head. Ryuu just looks at him and the atmosphere just got tense. I quickly let go and it seems that Ryuu and Luffy are talking to each other silently. Apis notice too after I stop.
"I see...You want to go home, huh?" Luffy said, nodding at Ryuu. How in the world did they do that? I assume that only Apis can understand us, but can he know too? Impossible. He didn't understand me when I told him to back off.
"He does not wish any harm on me….Apis, he is a guest of mine, please be kind to him. He is a kind person too." Ryuu grumbles. I walk up to Ryuu, nervous and scared with these new people. Ryuu reassures me and slightly nuzzles back.
"He says He can tell you are a good person. Also he wants to be your friend," Apis translate for Ryuu. I stare at this new guy as he grins from that information. I start to sniff him, Luffy gently has his hand out. I smell meat on him, lots of different meat. I place my head in his hand as he gives me a few scratches.
"Luffy, how did you read Grandpa Ryuu's mind?" she asks. I go back to Ryuu, sitting by their side. Luffy stands up and shrugs.
"Somehow, I did…" he said. I tilt my head. What a strange man Luffy is.
"Somehow.."
"How did you know?" Luffy asks and Apis became a bit nervous. I stand up, and go to her side. She takes a step back, not knowing how to proceed from this.
"Was it a devil fruit?" the lady said, reminding me that she was there. I tilt my head. I almost for got she was there. She is very quiet throughout the conversation.
"You have a devil fruit power, don't you?" she asks Apis. I take a good look at this lady, tangerine hair and smells like fresh oranges and citrus. It tickles my nose. I sense Apis relax and answer her.
"Yes. I ate one called the Whisper-Whisper one, I think. Since then I can understand animals" Apis states. She says this very proudly of herself. There is nothing to be a shame either.
"So, that's why you knew about the wind that time," she said and Apis nods.
"Yep. The seagulls told me that. I met Grandpa Ryuu with the help of the Whisper-Whisper fruit, too. I never heard such a sad voice before," Apis states, remembering how she found Ryuu and me. She looks at with Ryuu with such love.
"He lost all of his energy and said that he was separated from his friends and he needed to go back to Lost Island with his egg, where the dragon's nest is" Apis said. Luffy looks around loudly.
"I don't see any egg," he said, searching through his feathers. I bark, wagging my tail.
"The egg is me. She talking about me," I bark, as Apis pets me as I go over there.
"Yes, this little one came from the egg," Apis said. I jump as I hear a loud "WHAT?!"
"A dog coming out of a dragon's egg….?" Luffy just looks at me and tilts his head, I follow suit and tilt my head.
"But didn't the Lost Island sank a long time ago?" the lady said, keeping her distance. I walk towards her and she stands her ground. She kneels down and stretch out her hand. I sniff her hand and she seems like a good person. I wag my tail and nuzzle her hand, showing her I am a friendly dog.
"Grandpa Ryuu said that the island will surface again. He says its about time, but he no longer remembers where it is. He's gotten very old and has no energy to fly again. I wanna help, but I can't figure out where such an island exists at all….the legend itself doesn't give me a clue at all. So, I ask the Navy about it when they stopped here on the island. That was a mistake. They were looking for Dragonite," Apis said sadly. I whine and walk to Apis to comfort her. I can sense she feels a bit guilty, but why. Apis is a good girl.
"Dragonite….you mean the one for immortality?" the lady asks, "They took you away for such a thing,"
Apis nods.
"That was really reckless," the lady said. I nudge Apis as she sighs sadly. She rubs my ears as a way to continue.
"Yes. That's why I never told anyone about them. I don't want to cause anyone any trouble, but I want to take Grandpa Ryuu home. You too," Apis said, looking at me. Ryuu states at Apis and slowly blinks.
"Its okay. You are doing you're best," I said, licking her cheek. I see a small smile. It is a small silence until Luffy declares he is going to help us. We perk up.
"Okay then! I'll take him there," he said with confidence. The lady is outrage with this statement. I wonder if they are a couple. I smell their scent on each other, but not mingle.
"Luffy! Were you listening?! The Lost Island sanked years ago into the sea!" she exclaims. Luffy turns around and grins.
"But if the Legendary Millennial Dragons actually exists, I'm sure the Lost Island is out there!" he said with no problem. Will he be able to find it?
"An island without a map, huh? Fine Let's go!" the lady exclaims. I look back at Ryuu and I see he is happy too.
"Really?" Apis and I said excitingly. I jump a bit, happy to go home. Maybe there will be more of me, more of my kind.
"Yes!. Now that's decided, eat more of those meat buns," Luffy said, grabbing a meat bun.
"Wait, Luffy. That's-" I cut of Apis.
"Those are mine!" I launch my self, taking away the bun from his hand. He yelps, landing on his but, while I gulp down a meat bun. I glare at him and stand between him and the bag of meat buns. Apis, Ryuu and the lady laugh as Luffy and I stare at each other.