Tally Mai-chan: I'm not going to talk about this chapter or else I'll give away the ending but I will say that things are starting to get INTENSE! Seriously! And I have found a beta! Yays! ENJOY THE CHAPTER!
Chapter 4: Day two, ends with a bang
"KILLER!" Luffy shouted as he ran through the entire dorm. Killer did not answer his first call so he was going to search Killer out himself. "WHERE ARE YOU!"
Students gave him space as he passed. Some terrified to get into Luffy's way, others curious as to what could make him so enraged. Excitement spread through the dorm. Rumors flew about the school the moment Killer arrived, and already a member of the infamous school gang was after him. It was scary and thrilling at the same time, some boys even started to take bets.
Luffy ran up the stairs for his second pass through the third floor. Law was waiting for him at the end of the hall, standing stubbornly in his path. Luffy skidded to a halt.
"Where is he. Where's Killer." Luffy asked.
"Not here." replied Law. "He left about half an hour ago. I heard about what happened to those students, Chaka and... Nell? And that one girl. Were they friends of yous?"
"Yeah," Luffy said.
Law smirked, a fierce determination burned in Luffy's eyes. The boy was very rarely ever serious. The only time Law had ever seen Luffy serious was when he fought. It didn't matter who he fought or for what reason. He fought his hardest each and every time.
He sighed. Luffy was rushing head first into a fight that couldn't be won on determination alone. "Luffy, surly you've heard the rumors about this guy. He's a maniac. Come with me for a minute."
"NO!" Luffy shouted, and grabbed Law by the front of his shirt. "He hurt innocent people, people who couldn't even fight back!"
Law calmed Luffy down, rationalizing with him. Charging blindly into a fight against Killer was plain stupid and would only get him killed. After several tedious minutes of redundant arguing Law convinced Luffy to go with him to his room.
In his room Law threw a newspaper into Luffy's hands, and took a seat on a twin-size bed, watching Luffy warily. Luffy looked at the paper in his hands, dated two months ago, and read the headline.
"High school students kills mob."
Grimly Law told Luffy everything he knew about the boy named Killer.
Killer came from a large populous town in South Blue. The city was famous for it's high levels of crime and gang wars. He's lived quietly until the end of his freshman year. It was, at first, decided a case of "being at the wrong place at the wrong time" but soon evidence appeared that said otherwise.
Killer wandered into a warehouse occupied by a top city gang, a meeting of their leaders. A gunfight ensued and lasted for five minutes. Near by workers heard the gunfire and called the police. When the police got to the warehouse it was a sea of glittering, red blood and seven dead bodies, all decapitated.
The rest was hazy. Exactly how police found Killer and related him to the murder was unknown. It was that vagueness that kept Killer out of juvenile detention. Just barely.
"I don't care about this." Luffy said. "I'm going to avenge my nakama."
"Avenge? Luffy, you don't know what you are getting into."
Luffy tore the newspaper to pieces, thin, flimsy, paper floating to the floor, landing in a shambled mess.
"If you can't tell me where Killer is then I'm going." Luffy waved Law off, running out of the room then down the stairs and out of the dorm.
Law laid spread eagle on his back, and stared at his ceiling. He almost wanted to go and help Luffy. Killer was excitement. A real killer at their quiet little school. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He liked, no that was the wrong word for his feelings. It wasn't love nor lust, but a need that boarded desire. He needed the thrill of battle, a characteristic shared by his missing roommate.
He set his gaze to the other side of the room, cleanly out of place with the rest of the disorganized room. It was unnatural to see his roommate's side so clean. Cleared at the end of school last year for the summer. He wasn't too worried, it was only the second day of school. Eustass Kid would show up eventually.
Now would be the time, Law thought, thinking back to Killer. Now there's someone here that's just as insane as you are.
"Killer is a good friend of mine. The guy that was on TV over the summer? That's him, he's going to our school now. Of course I've known him for a long time. We're really close, best friends even." Junior girl Alvida smiled as she stood dominantly over Freshman Coby.
She was ridiculously fat and yet insisted upon wearing the shortest skirt length allowed for the girls uniform. The uniform for the girls varied slightly from the boys, with a more stylish top and a navy blue skirt that came in various lengths. The too small uniform stretched to it's breaking limit on her body, giving her a disgusting, distorted look.
Coby gulped, curling into a fetal position in the dirt. It was his second day of school and already he was getting bullied.
"We're friends of him." Helmeppo repeated. Alvida hit him over the head.
"Shut your whinny, spoiled trap! I said that I'd do all the talking!" She screamed, glaring at all her underlings. "Now, for the freshmeat. Who is the most beautiful girl in the whole school?"
Coby whimpered, certainly she wasn't taking about herself. "Uh... y-you... are?"
She smiled cordially, whispering to him in a syrupy voice. "That's right, now if you don't want Killer to cut your throat then do as we tell you and-"
"Hey! Someone who just came out of the boys dorm is heading straight for us!" Helmppo shouted from the edge of the group.
The sun hovered above the horizon, bathing the world with rich golden light. Reds and pink tinted the ocean water, and clouds dipped in orange. Clear blue sky marked the end of a new day, ignorant of the tumult.
"Who dares to interrupt me when I'm bulling freshman?" Alvida demanded, the bright sun shinned in her eyes and she had to squint.
"It-it's." Helmppo paled, "It's Luffy!"
"What?" Alvida asked Helmppo if he was sure. He was. There was just no way, she didn't bother his friends. Monkey D. Luffy had no problem with her. She had made sure of that, this year and last.
"Hey! Do you know where a guy named Killer is?" Luffy ran straight to Alvida. "Do you know where he is?"
Alvida flinched when the boy approached her, then, in a moment, visibly calmed. Cocky arrogance taking place of her initial fear, and she drew herself to full height. "Why should I tell you?"
"Tell me where he is!" Luffy snapped back. He had such an air of urgency and rage that Alvida lost her suave.
"Wh-what... I don't-I... I wont tell you." She hesitated answering.
"Tell me!" Luffy demanded, taking a step closer. She stepped back.
"What are you going to do? Beat up a girl? I thought momma's taught their little boys never to hit a girl."
Coby curled into a tighter ball on the ground. This boy, Luffy, he's going to get beat up! He had to do something! But what could he do? He already lost to Alvida and her gang. He's just a weakling.
"I don't have time to fight you! I'm looking for Killer!" said Luffy.
"I won't rat my friend out." Alvida snapped back
"Tell me!"
She had enough of this useless conversation, and Luffy. "I'm not a afraid of you Monkey D. Luffy. If you want to know where Killer is then you'd have to beat the information right out of me!"
"I just have to beat you up to get the information?"asked Luffy.
Coby grimaced, was he really going to? Was he really going to fight her, that monster?
Alvida grinned beastly and without preamble punched Luffy in the face. Luffy took the punch, rocking back on his heels slightly. He took his footing and he punched right back, hitting right below her collarbone and she crumpled to the ground, holding her hands to her chest.
"AHHHHHHHhhhh!" She cried out in pain, rolling on the grass. Helmppo staggered forward, moving with all intent to avenge his leader but not finding the will power to go through with it. One hit from Luffy to his chest and he was sent reeling, falling to the ground and did not get back up.
Coby watched with awe as Luffy swiftly took care of the rest of Alvida's gang. They were nothing compared to him. Respect and admiration flooded the freshman boy. He wanted to be just like Luffy, brave and strong. A true hero.
"You... stupid..." Alvida grunted, staggering on her thick legs. "I wont forget this!"
She ran across the grass, each step pounding the ground, sending dirt and grass flying. Luffy jumped to the side. She grabbed the end of his shirt, jerking him back to her. She punched him repeatedly in the face, breaking his nose, and giving him a black eye.
Luffy kicked her stomach and she released him. He spat out the blood that pooled in his mouth and attacked her back. Hitting her stomach, her side, her knees. One final hit to the side of her head and she was out.
"Where's Killer!" Luffy shouted at her, but it was useless. She was out cold.
"We don't know Killer." Helmppo sat up on the ground, his arms wrapped around his chest. "We just used his name to make people fear us! Leave us alone!"
"But she said-"
"She lied!"
Luffy cried out in frustration, this was getting him nowhere. He started to leave when Coby stopped him.
"Y-you said you were looking for someone?" Coby stuttered.
Luffy paused mid step, looking back at Coby. He didn't realize the boy was even there."Yeah, a guy named Killer, have you seen him?"
"N-no, but I can help you find him! With two people looking it'll go a whole lot faster!" Coby paused, did he really just offer to help this guy? He staggered back, shocked. He did realized he said, the words popped out of his mouth, he just wanted to be with Luffy longer, if just a little bit. Maybe some of Luffy's courage would rub onto him. Mabye he wouldn't be so weak if he hung out with a tough guy like Luffy.
"Really!" Luffy laughed, suddenly cheery, and held out his hand for Coby to shake. "Thanks a bunch! I'm Monkey D. Luffy."
"Coby, a freshman. What does Killer look like?"
"A blond hedgehog and a blue mask."
Coby blinked, unsure if he heard Luffy correctly. He asked Luffy to repeat it and Luffy said the same thing. Blond hedgehog and a blue mask. Was it Halloween already? A sickening feeling lurched in his stomach. A premonition that he had got into something far over his head, and it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Luffy ran off, thanking Coby for his help and the pink haired boy couldn't help but do as he promised, and started to search the around the school grounds. Luffy went north towards the school and forest so he'll check south, towards the school dorms and on.
Coby was scared to be on his own, and worse yet looking for a guy that wore a mask. He wanted to search with Luffy, who was cool and brave. Unlike him. He was a coward, in fact the only reason he came to this school was to get away from his old one. At his old school he was bullied so badly that the teachers gave up on him.
But man! Luffy beat Alvida! Luffy was a hero! Maybe, just maybe this school was okay after all.
When he heard about Marineford Acadamy, how it was a selective school where only the brightest of minds could go to. Maybe a school of all smart kids wouldn't have any bullies. It would be perfect. Alvida ruined that perfect image.
But Luffy gave him hope.
Even further south of the dorms was a rise in the flat surface of the peninsula, a gently inclining hill that cut off harshly at it's apex, jutting over the blue ocean. The thinning light of twilight made it hard to make out a group of three boys standing under the dark shade of four maple trees, small bushes hiding under the shade, clustered where the hill started to rise.
The sun a sliver of red on the russet horizon. Maybe minutes away from disappearing completely. The boys saw Coby approach, his pink hair standing out against the cool green grass and dark blue of the sky.
"What do you want?" One asked, his tone neither friendly or kind.
"I-I" Coby stumbled over his words, trying to call upon his courage. He was scared to approach these boys, they looked like upperclassman, but he promised Luffy. He wanted to be brave too.
"I'm looking for a guy named Killer."
"Killer?" One boy with long dark hair laughed. "What kind of joke is this?"
"Not very funny." Another, a redhead said.
"Get lost freshman." The first, the tallest of the boys with short cropped blond hair. "Or you'll regret it."
"Do you know anything at all!" Coby shouted. He didn't mean to shout, but his words froze in his mouth and he didn't want to sound weak by whispering.
The boys tensed, hostile eyes staring him down. Coby suddenly felt uncomfortable, that this was a bad place to be. Run. He wanted to run, but he was far away from the dorms, they'd catch him before he could get help. He was going to get beat up.
The boys circled around him, the tallest facing him head on. Coby's knees trembled and it was all he could do to not drop to the ground and curl into a ball.
"I think freshman here needs to be taught a lesson."
"I think I'll be going." Coby stepped back, backing into the red haired boy. The boy grabbed him around his chest, pinning his arms down. Coby squirmed, kicking the air before him to fend off the other boys that started to punch him.
The dark haired boy grabbed his legs and together with the red haired boy, threw him against the tree. Coby's face smashed into the wood, his glasses breaking in two, the bark scratching the glass. Coby bit his lower lip, tears rolling down his face.
The boys kicked and punched him. Laughing at each cry of pain. When the sun had set and darkness covered the faces of the boys that beat him, they kicked him into the bushes under the trees and left.
Coby shivered in the cold night air, to worn and beaten to get up. Twigs prodded his back and leaves rubbed his face. Crawly nocturnal insects skittered across his legs and arms, a spider bit him.
He wondered if Luffy was looking for him. Why should Luffy be looking for him? They only just meet. People tended to forget him easily, only remembering him when they wanted something, or somebody to take the fall.
Coby cried even more. How stupid he was, to think things would be different at this school. It was just like any other school at any other place. Bullies tormenting him, people manipulating him, and forgotten just like that.
Maybe if he becomes a strong Marine and fight in the war people will begin to remember him. He'll be a big hero that no one could beat up!
Coby slowly picked himself from the ground. He'd been laying there so long, the cold air numbing his bones, he couldn't stand properly. In the darkness something shimmered. Coby let himself fall back down, crouching low to the ground. Eyes sharp for the shimmer.
He didn't know what it was, but it scared him. He groped the grass for his glasses, holding one side of the broken frames to his eye. The blurred darkness came into focus. His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he could see a dark, human outline.
A person walked by the trees, stopping before the bush Coby hid behind. At close range he could see a mask over the persons face, long blond hair falling to their knees.
Killer.
Coby covered his mouth with his hands, afraid to breath lest the older boy would notice him. Killer was dangerous, Coby knew immediately. He wasn't a bully, he didn't manipulate, he was... Coby trembled, not from the cold.
A light shimmered in Killer's hand, a metallic object reflecting the thin light of the moon.
It was a gun.
Coby held his breath. THU-thump. THU-thump. THU-thump. His heart drummed. Coby desperately tired to calm down. His head pounding with each beat of his heart.
Killer started to leave, heading towards the dorm. Coby let out an internal sigh, he couldn't hold his breath any longer, and breathed out. Killer, a few feet away, heard him and paused.
"I thought someone was hiding there." Killer said.
Coby peed his pants.
"Did you see my gun? I guess you know about it now. Come out where I can see you."
Coby did as he was told, finding the strength to stand up from the bushes. It was obvious he was in bad shape, even in the dim moonlight. His hair was messed, littered with twigs. His shirt and pants torn and dark splotches across his arms and face.
None of this escaped Killer's attention. "Lose a fight did you?" Killer played with the gun, twirling it in his hands. Coby watched each rotation. Taking a sharper breath each time it pointed at him.
"Wh-what d-d-do y-you want fr-from m-m-me." Coby asked.
"I want you to keep a secret. No one is to know I have this." Killer held up the gun, an odd, discomforting calm about him. "I don't have to worry about you squealing on me do I? Because if you do... I'll find you. And you will regret it."
"What do you want to do with it!" Coby shouted, quickly covering his mouth.
"Why do you need to know? All you need to do is keep your mouth shut. Am I clear?"
Coby was not going to agree with this. He's going to say no! That he will not stay quiet about this and will tell principle Kizaru right away! "Yes. I... I won't tell anyone."
"Good." Killer said, and fired the gun at Coby's head.
The shot missed, whistling past Coby's ear and ending inside the trunk of a tree.
"Don't you dare rat me out." Killer said calmly, and left, just like that.
Immediately Coby fell to his knees. Tears threatening to fall from his eyes again.
What was Killer going to do with his gun? The answer was obvious. What else do you do with a gun but hurt someone? Guns are used to kill people. Killer was going to kill someone. But who? Who did he want to kill? Coby hit his head against the ground, his forehead going numb with dull pain.
If Killer killed someone and it was found out that he knew then he would be an accessory to the murder since he didn't try to stop it. Maybe they'd let him off, but he would always know that he was responsible.
Luffy! Coby felt a shred of hope. Luffy could stop Killer! Luffy was strong and brave, he could stop Killer. Coby knew it.
When he got back to the boys dorm, everyone was gone, all upstairs in their rooms. The lights in the common room were off and Coby had to navigate through the maze of couches to the stairs. The climb up to the third floor wore him out to the point that sleeping on the stairs was a tempting option. Somehow though, he dragged himself to his room, unlocked the door, and plopped down on his bed and closed his eyes the moment his head touched his pillow.
Tomorrow... tomorrow he'll find Luffy and tell him about the gun. Tomorrow.
That night, his dreams were riddled with the echoing bang of that gun, over and over again.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.
Tally Mai-chan: It's only day two but so much has happened! Killer has a gun! Luffy still hasn't found him! And when well Eustass Kid hit the scene? I know, and if you want to know then drop a review! Now!
