Law followed after Straw Hat and his crew at a leisurely pace, acutely aware of his surroundings on the unfamiliar island terrain. Law chose to ignore the thought that Kidd could come crashing through the trees after him to pick a fight over trying to order him around. The Heart Pirate silently took in the sights, like the overly colorful plants here and there amongst the more winter like trees and pines. The contrast was rather odd looking. Law readjusted his grip on his sheathed blade as he passed by a small clearing, where a few very large hybrid animals were snoozing in a patch of sunlight. He supposed wild animals were better than running across other pirates that could carry news away about their whereabouts.
Law skirted a few fallen trees, and bypassed a suspicious looking body of water. Law eyed it warily for a few moments, before discerning that it was what he thought it was; a small pool of sea water that had forced its way up through the grass and sand. He glanced up at the sky through the foliage. Law felt distinctly hypersensitive, and it wasn't the small body of sea water or the animals that were bothering him. There was something else that made Law uneasy, and he couldn't put his finger on it. It had to be something about the island, because he hadn't been feeling like this until after he had gotten off of Straw Hat's ship. It was almost as if there was something watching him, and an invisible crawling sensation was settling squarely between his shoulder blades. Law's body tensed in response, as if he were expecting an imminent attack.
Law ran his gaze over the immediate area, intent on finding the source of his unease. However, there was nothing to be seen, other than a few of the creatures that lived on the island lumbering by, more or less ignoring him. Law let out a low sigh, tension leaving his body. He must be imagining things. If there had been anyone watching him, they would have likely made their presence known as soon as they noticed he was alone. Law was being paranoid, and it didn't help that Straw Hat and his crew were already making him question his sanity. The feeling of being watched did not leave him, and Law, aware of it, continued on his way.
An hour later…
Law let out a disgruntled sound when he emerged from some trees and spotted the beach and the sea. He must have come out on another side of the island, because Straw Hat's ship wasn't in view. Law studied the sea silently, noting that a storm was still raging just off the coast of the island. Law turned to go back into the forest, when he halted and did a double take. There was another ship anchored in the shallows, much smaller than Straw Hat's, but still decently sized. Law didn't recognize the Jolly Roger that was flapping wildly in the wind, and felt that that was a good sign.
Law heard rustling behind him and he turned away from the sight of the ship, hand on the hilt of his blade as he surveyed the area around him once more. There were a few smaller animals scampering by, but the rustling had stopped almost as soon as it had begun. Law hated the feeling of being watched, so he spoke aloud in a demanding tone, "Who's there?"
Silence greeted the Heart Pirate's demand, though the sound of wildlife continued.
Law's hand dropped from the hilt as he shook his head. He was imagining things. He'd almost sworn he heard a mocking laugh, but there was no one in sight, and he didn't sense anyone. Law ran a hand over his face. There were logical explanations to be had for what he was feeling. He'd have to look into it if he had to spend more than a day on this island. There was something in the atmosphere of the island that seemed to confuse one's senses, and make them imagine things, or make it seem like one was being watched.
Law started to walk back the way he had come, angling slightly to take himself down another path in search of his temporary allies. If Law could, he would bring Straw Hat's doctor with him to check into his theory of the island's climate and atmosphere bringing up minor hallucinatory visions. Law couldn't help but glance over his shoulder whenever he heard an unexpected sound, or the rustle coming from the foliage around him. The dense leaves of the main population of trees made it difficult to see the upper branches, which made it a perfect place for a predator to launch an ambush.
Law halted at a particularly loud rustle and after looking around warily, relaxed his poise. He had been ready to draw forth his weapon should anything jump out at him. He was overreacting. Law doubted that anyone of importance would have come to this peculiar little island. If he did happen to come across someone that wasn't whom he had come to the island with, Law felt he could handle it. It was useful being a warlord, though with it getting out that he had entered into an alliance with the Straw Hats, it was debatable just how long he would remain one.
Law curled a hand around the hilt of the blade resting against his shoulder, and held it close as he continued on his way. He would worry about these kinds of things once he was back on the sea and on the way to Dressrosa. Right now, he had to locate Straw Hat and the others, because knowing them, they'd be able to find some way to make whoever else could be on the island notice them. Perhaps by making something explode, despite there being no ammunition on the island. Law wouldn't put it past them, knowing what they were capable of.
Above in the canopy, something glinted in the sunlight. The glint tilted to one side as it watched the Heart Pirate's progress, and as soon as Law was out of view, the glint vanished as someone moved silently amongst the dense upper foliage of the tree.
Law hadn't been imagining the laugh from earlier, and if he had heard it and realized that it was coming from the canopy of the trees, the Heart Pirate would have been scrambling to remove himself from the island as fast as was humanly possible.
-x
Law thought that he would reach another end of the island without coming across anyone again, when he heard voices up ahead, arguing loudly. Even with as short a time he had spent with them, Law could instantly tell that the voices belonged to Straw Hat and his crew. Law came to a halt at the edge of the forest, hesitating to enter the clearing that was there as he watched the three Straw Hats bickering with one another. Taking a deep breath, and telling himself that he was doing this for the good of the alliance, Law walked forward nonchalantly. He didn't say a word as he drew nearer, because by then he was able to pick up on the conversation.
"And I'm telling you that Nami shouldn't be by herself!"
"You just want to go with her to ogle her, pervert cook!"
Law sighed inwardly as he stopped near where Luffy was standing, eying Zoro and Sanji with a critical eye, and wondered why he had to be present for such a ridiculous conversation. Law was fairly certain that the navigator could take care of herself perfectly well. There didn't seem to be anything dangerous enough on the island to worry about it.
Luffy was looking back and forth between Zoro and Sanji, "Hey, we should go exploring! There could be a lot of meat here!" He pouted a little when he noticed that he was being ignored.
Sanji turned away, striding off, "I'm going to go make sure she is all right! Nothing had better have happened to her while talking to you, moss head!"
Zoro wasn't going to push the point, deciding to let the blond go be stupid on his own. The swordsman glanced to the side sharply, rethinking that decision,"Hey, cook."
Sanji paused, looking around the edge of the clearing, tensing, "Something's coming."
Law watched as two of the larger creatures he had spotted earlier burst through the cluster of trees and into the clearing with vicious snarls. Well, at least he had been right about the Straw Hats being able to bring things down upon themselves either through words or actions. The Heart Pirate wasn't quite sure what to think of the cook's reaction.
Sanji raced toward one of the large creatures, dodging its gaping maw as he hopped into the air. Sanji came crashing down on the animal's head with a precisely aimed, and very deadly, kick.
Law could almost see the fire spouting off from the blond as he kicked the creature a few more times, roaring angrily as the poor beast was driven into the ground.
"How dare you try and keep me from Nami!"
Law glanced from the one sided, sadly pathetic beating, to see how the swordsman would act.
Zoro faced the creature bearing down on him calmly, one hand gripping a katana hilt. He leapt up the creature's arm, and into the air above, "One sword style…" Zoro drew out his katana in a flash and swung the blade down, "Dragon Quake!" Zoro landed a short distance away, sheathing his blade calmly as the partially decapitated beast collapsed bonelessly to the ground.
Law supposed he wasn't at all surprised by Straw Hat's crewmates' actions, nor what followed after as Luffy looked the creatures over.
"These look tasty."
Sanji examined the creature he'd done in, and gave a superior smirk to Zoro, who stood a short distance away, "The one I killed is bigger than yours."
Zoro looked between the two fallen creatures, and crossed his arms, apparently thinking hard. At length, he spoke, "Yours has horns, and that's what makes it look bigger. That doesn't count."
"That animal is smaller than mine." Sanji announced, narrowing his eyes and daring Zoro to challenge the claim.
Zoro took him up on it as the swordsman crossed the distance between them, "Your eyes must be going if you can't figure out that creature there is smaller than that one."
"Your vision is the one that is going. At least I have two eyes."
Sparks flew between the two men as they fell into a heated debate at just how to measure dead animals.
Law watched the exchange with a look of utter confusion, not understanding what the deal was, while Luffy just laughed at his friends' antics.
Luffy looked over to the animals being argued over, and then turned to Law, who was standing silently next to him, "Hey, Tra-guy." Seeing the confused expression turned his way, Luffy continued as he motioned at the dead animals, "Don't they look really, really tasty?"
Law glanced at the almost decapitated, spike covered creature, whose hide was undoubtedly tough, and then the other one, that looked like a poisonous bear with jellyfish stingers. Only Straw Hat would think those things looked like something to eat. Seeing that yet again Luffy was expecting a response, Law responded in monotone, "…I suppose so…"
Luffy grinned, while ignoring the fact that Zoro and Sanji's verbal argument had transformed into a fight with weapons over who killed the largest animal. Luffy and Law turned as the foliage rustled, and just as Law was thinking that it was whatever had been following him around, Luffy let out an excited whoop as a creature larger than either of the others came into the clearing, "Wow, that's a lot of meat!"
Law watched as the enormous creature came partway into the clearing, and picked up the corpses, one in its jaw, and the other clasped by a paw, before drawing back.
"Hey! That's my meat! Put it down!"
Law resisted the urge to shake his head, though he did stiffen when he noticed that Luffy's upset expression turned into one of anger. That was weird. "Straw Hat-ya…" Law drifted off as Luffy whirled on his feet and stomped toward his crewmates, yelling and interrupting the short bout that had begun between Zoro and Sanji.
"Zoro! You let the food get taken away!"
Law leaned against a tree, appalled at what followed next, as Luffy took a swing at Zoro. Law couldn't believe that he had allied himself with such strange people. What captain would get into a fight with his one of his own crew over something so stupid? It was baffling, but at least it served as a brief distraction from thoughts about the island's seemingly peculiar effect on him…
Law gasped in sudden realization. He hadn't even requested that they all head back to the ship, and was instead waiting for the Straw Hats to finish. Law stared down at the ground as he reevaluated the choices he had made up until that point. He was seriously starting to lose it, and he feared what more could be done to draw him further into Straw Hat's craziness, if it hadn't already ensnared him completely.
-x
Chopper slowed to a canter, before stopping altogether, once he noticed that no one was actually chasing after him. Chopper looked back and forth, gasping when he noticed that he was all alone, or so he thought. Chopper changed back into his normal form, fretting a little. He wanted to find Kidd before the other ended up hurting himself from overexertion, but that seemed unlikely to happen any time soon, since he had no idea which way he had gone.
Chopper sniffed the air, before wrinkling his nose. Something smelled, like when his friends forgot to shower themselves. Chopper perked up and walked in the direction of the scent he picked up on. Maybe it was Luffy and the others, even though he didn't recall any of them smelling like they needed a bath. Maybe it had been harder to tell on the ship.
Chopper pushed past a few bushes, before he tripped on a root, and ended up flat on the ground. Chopper ran a hoof over his nose, wincing a little, before he lay still as unfamiliar voices reached his ears. Chopper tilted his head. Who was it? Chopper froze as a group of what appeared to be pirates came to a halt just a few feet from where he had tripped. The humanoid reindeer became concerned the longer the pirates talked, as he remembered that the pirates vaguely resembled the ones that had burst into the tavern the day before on the other island.
-x
"Captain Mediocre! Do you really think they came to this island?" One pirate questioned, looking distinctly unhappy that his head was currently being held by another crew member. No one had yet figured out whose mismatched body parts belonged to whom. Not that they had tried to remove body parts from the wrong places, due to the fear that it might cause irrevocable damage. Hence the group's need to locate Trafalgar Law and get the Warlord to change them back to normal. The demoralized crew couldn't be expected to go pirating in such a state.
The pirate, Captain Mediocre, hated his name with an unholy passion, and had left home as soon as he could to spite his navy father. If his parents were going to dare to name him as such a thing, it served them right that he became a pirate in retaliation.
"Captain Mediocre?"
Mediocre whirled on his crewmate with a snarl, "I've told you not to call me that! I've told you idiots constantly, over and over, to call me 'sir' or 'captain.' Not Mediocre!"
"But captain, that's what everyone calls us. It's even on your bounty." One of the crew hesitantly pointed out.
"It's my father's fault! He's the one that dubbed us the Mediocre Pirates! It wasn't my choice! I refuse to acknowledge it!" Mediocre was so far in denial that he hadn't even realized that his crew felt profound pity for him, and his unfortunate name.
After all, what pirate band would want to be known as mediocre? Sure, it would work to their advantage if they were powerful and struck fear into their enemy's hearts after engaging in battle. The reality was that it described them perfectly, and the state they were in only served to depress them further that they were never going to be better than average.
In the bushes, unbeknownst to the gathered pirates, Chopper was crying at the story of woe being played out before him.
Mediocre shifted uncomfortably, as he side glanced at himself, "I'm going to teach that bastard a thing or two. He won't get away with this." He would ignore his name for now, as he focused on something far more important.
The gathered pirates eyed their captain in the body he had been switched to, and the crew member that was in his own body apologized, "Sorry captain, I didn't think the warlord would do this."
Mediocre put his hands on his hips, "Never mind that, we should have known better than to try and defy a warlord."
The crew exchanged glances, knowing that the crew mate was actually apologizing for Captain Mediocre ending up in her voluptuous body. No one said anything, because the other two women in the crew were practically daring them to try and get their captain to show off his temporary body. It was an unspoken rule amongst the Mediocre Pirates to look but not touch, and the men were so grateful to see something feminine on the sea every day that they acquiesced to the request.
Captain Mediocre was currently thinking of revenge for what had been done to himself and his crew. He waved the sword he'd retrieved from his body high in the air, "Let's go make that damn warlord pay! Straw Hat too, for not even acknowledging our existence!"
The crew roared their agreement. Mediocre might be a coward, but he was unstoppable once he made his mind up.
Chopper, even though he had sympathized with the other pirate group's plight, felt that he needed to warn his friends. He changed into his Walk Point once again, and, with a single bound, leapt through the undergrowth and right past the pirates.
The Mediocre Pirates watched as Chopper got further away from them, before someone spoke aloud, "Do you think this place is cursed?"
Mediocre snorted, "Don't be stupid. It was just an animal."
"But captain, it was wearing clothes and carrying a bag!"
There was a short silence as that sunk in, before another of the crew spoke up.
"It kind of resembled the animal that was with Straw Hat."
Mediocre swung the sword again, changing his mind, "After the animal! It'll lead us to Straw Hat and the others!"
The crew fell into step after their captain in his very attractive form, shouting and hollering as they bore down on their target.
Chopper, galloping further ahead, panicked again now that he was actually being chased, "Ahh! Why're they following after me?! I thought they were looking for Luffy or Law!"
-x
Approximately two hours of hiking through a heavily wooded area made Kidd think that he should have considered staying behind on the ship after all. He had to pause every so often, stopped by a coughing fit. When it passed, Kidd felt less than pleased, and wondered what the bloody hell was wrong with his body. He had gotten all the sea water out, hadn't he? Maybe he should have taken that rest, but he wasn't going to, because Trafalgar had been the one to suggest it, as well as that weird animal from Straw Hat's crew. Kidd took a steadying breath and continued on. Whatever. He wouldn't be able to show his face to his crew if a little thing like almost dying interfered with his day to day activities.
Kidd looked up sharply as he heard something coming closer, the rustling sound becoming louder and louder. Kidd clenched his right hand, feeling around for anything metal in the area. Before he could settle on the metal that he was sensing, a fucking enormous reindeer came bolting out of the surrounding trees, plowing right into him. Kidd was hit with enough force that it knocked him over to the ground on his back, his breath driven out of his body for the second time that day.
Kidd coughed and gasped for air, propping himself up on his shoulders as his eyes focused on the small reindeer sprawled on his chest. "What the hell was that for?" Even Straw Hat's crewmates were crazy, it seemed.
Chopper shook himself out of his daze, and took stock of where he was. He'd run into something…Chopper let out a little 'eep' and scrambled off the irritated red head. "Ah! Sorry! I was running from other pirates!"
Kidd frowned down at the other, "But you are a pirate." Kidd blinked, and then scowled. Why the fuck would he care about something stupid like that? He was being distracted from his quest to find Trafalgar and Straw Hat.
Chopper realized that he had run into Kidd, whom he had left the ship to find in the first place. Chopper completely forgot about the fact that he was being chased, "A…Are you all right?"
The annoying creature was still worried about his health? Kidd let out a huff, "Go away, I'm fine. A little cough ain't gonna kill me." As soon as the words slipped out, Kidd was hit with another coughing fit, this time bad enough that it caused him to partially collapse from his propped up position.
"See?" Chopper said worriedly, moving forward to try and help, only to freeze in place as the Mediocre Pirates caught up with him.
"Hey animal! Take us to Straw Hat!"
"No, to the warlord! Get him to change us back to normal!"
Chopper jumped comically, his arms waving in panic, "I'd already forgotten about them!"
The Mediocre Pirates came to a grinding halt upon spotting Kidd and his scowling visage. They sure as hell knew who the red head was, and none of them had a death wish. However, as soon as they noticed that Kidd hadn't made a move to attack, and deduced that Kidd appeared to not be feeling well, caution was thrown out the window. The overconfidence that followed was a very, very bad idea to the continued health and existence of the Mediocre Pirates.
"You look like shit, Captain Kidd." Mediocre said nastily, idly twirling his sword as he took in the sight, "Maybe our rep would soar if we took care of someone with such a high bounty as yourself."
The crew backed up their captain. No one realized that with every word that left their mouth, they were only hastening their own demise, because Kidd would not take the verbal abuse lying down, no matter how shitty he was feeling.
"Yeah, he don't look too tough now."
"What's the matter, big guy? You lose a fight and can't go on living?"
"Careful boys, he looks like he's gonna attack."
"Looks more like he's gonna keel over."
"You need a nap, kid?"
If the Mediocre Pirates thought they could do anything to capture or defeat Kidd, they were living in another universe. They'd already sealed their fate, starting with their captain's snide comment.
Kidd was beside himself with rage that these fools were daring to insult him. Livid, Kidd drew in jeering pirates' weapons with a flare of his power. The weapons were wrenched from the other pirates' grasp, pulled toward Kidd's outstretched right hand, until the red head gritted out a single word, "Repel."
The weapons he had drawn in with his Devil Fruit powers were sent flying through the air at the gathered pirates, the blades slashing and the guns firing at random. The manipulated weapons injured any who were unable to dodge, and the Mediocre Pirates realized their mistake too late. Their only consolation was that since Kidd was not feeling his best, no one happened to die. Those injured dropped to the ground and beat a hasty retreat after the non-injured members, hoping they could get out of range of their weapons, which were still swinging and going off at random as Kidd manipulated them.
Chopper was terrified as he dodged out of range of the erratic attack, and watched as the last of the Mediocre Pirates scrambled away. Chopper let out a sigh of relief as the weapons fell out of the air and to the ground several feet away. "I thought you were going to kill them!"
Kidd made a face, displeased, "I missed."
A chill went down Chopper's spine at Kidd's admission that he had been trying to kill the other pirates. Shaking his head, Chopper spoke, "You need to rest."
Kidd actually did feel rather shitty after stomping around through the forest. Kidd rested his back against a nearby tree as he let out a frustrated sigh. "I thought that the walk would make me feel better, not worse."
"You do realize your current condition is entirely your own fault?" Chopper commented, though he didn't say how as he removed his backpack and dug around in it. He had changed into his Horn Point form, to better grab the item he was after.
The form change made Kidd stare hard at Chopper, "You're a Zoan type Devil fruit user?
Chopper nodded absently as he took out the bottle he was looking for, "Yes, I ate the human-human fruit." Chopper opened the bottle and shook out a pill, before offering it to Kidd.
Kidd stared at the pill dubiously, before he looked away, "I already said I felt fine." Kidd twitched as Chopper held a hand to his forehead.
"You're not feeling well because you have a fever." Getting a blank look in return, Chopper added, "This island's climate brought it on. Your body wasn't able to fight off the fever because it was still weakened from you nearly drowning." Chopper dropped his hand and offered the pill again, "You will feel better if you take this pill and some compound medicine." The pill was plucked from his hand, and Chopper watched the other take it with a careful eye, and felt he needed to clarify, "You need to take more of a rest to let the pill take effect."
Kidd considered rising, but the sudden fever that he had come down with was bad enough that he wanted it gone, and waited, seeing if the pill would actually work. Kidd watched Chopper change back to his small form and put together a mixture of a few herbs from his bag into a sticky looking paste using a small bowl to grind the stuff together. Kidd thought it looked disgusting, and he leaned away when Chopper offered the liquidly, mushy goop to him, "I ain't eating that shit! You tryin' to poison me?"
"But it'll help with the cough you have!" Chopper insisted, wondering why Kidd was being so stubborn about taking advice from someone who knew what they were doing. He was a doctor, after all, and he was pretty sure that Kidd wouldn't know what was good for him if it hit him over the head. His scars alone told Chopper that Kidd didn't exactly go around seeking medical attention.
"No." Kidd refused, before almost instantly coughing. Damn. This was getting old…Kidd grunted as Chopper changed his form again, this time into his Kung Fu Point, and leapt at Kidd with the bowl, "Hachaa! Take it! You'll feel better!"
"What the fuck?!" Kidd snapped as he fell sideways onto the ground after Chopper thwacked him in the gut. Wasn't the little bastard a doctor? Why the hell would he hit him in an attempt to give him medicine?
The two wrestled around on the ground, and it was a testament to Kidd feeling absolutely wretched that Chopper was able to pin him down and force the herbal mixture down the red head's throat, despite his vehement protests.
Kidd felt the disgusting taste go down his throat, and he let out a low growl of rage. How dare some damn animal get the upper hand over him! The weight of the other left, and Kidd lashed out blindly with his mechanical arm. He struck nothing, and ended up collapsing on his back.
Chopper had changed back into his smaller form, managing to avoid the strike, and went to hide behind a nearby tree. Chopper didn't seem to notice that his hiding wasn't being done very well, but since Kidd wasn't exactly going to be coming after him, it didn't matter.
Kidd remained on his back as he closed his eyes, coughing faintly. He was silent for a few minutes, before he spoke up, sensing that Chopper was still nearby, "What is that pill…supposed to do?"
Chopper's voice quietly responded from behind the tree, "It'll reduce your fever, but the side effect is that it will make you sleepy."
Kidd let out a self-deprecating laugh, still not able to comprehend that he had been dealt with so easily; no matter how bad he happened to be feeling. The Straw Hat's crew was crazy, no doubt about that. What normal person stuffed something down someone else' throat against their will? Kidd let out a frustrated sigh. He could already feel the pill starting to take effect, and there wasn't much he could do to fight that. Kidd strained to stay awake, but couldn't help but drift off, the pill putting him under quickly.
As soon as Kidd was snoring softly, Chopper realized with a jolt that the pirates from earlier could come back, and that he had essentially left Kidd defenseless. Chopper sat down, tense and worried about the Mediocre Pirates coming back to attack. It didn't even occur to him that he could have easily defeated them in one of his other forms.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Thank you for the reviews! I'm glad people are liking this so far (and I actually made the story have more of a plot later on, and it remains to be seen whether that was a good idea on my part or not).
Anyway...
Mini rant/general information regarding this chapter (and future ones):
Um…yeah, due to a short scene earlier in this chapter while Law is on his own, shit's going to go down in future chapters, because the plot friggin exploded into something massive due to those two short paragraphs (three sentences wtf), and me thinking about it, and then deciding what the hell, why not add another character in a few chapters. At least it happened before I read the newest op chapter (part of which made me giggle/snicker and then go omfg what lol no poor bb…but, yeah, it made me think that the plot changes I made to this fic were fine after all). I hope you all will like (?) the 180 degree turn this fic will take in a short time, because I know I'm going take vindictive pleasure in writing it because it allows me to write IC (?) Law torment, which I enjoy for some sick reason.
This fic was supposed to be just humor, but due to the changes in the plot, I may add to the genre in the description of the fic later. Angst, perhaps. This fic is drawing on what is going on in the manga in the current arc, but as this is fanfiction, it isn't going to follow it much, if at all. The whole story is me making Law miserable/insane, because I like him so much…if that makes any sense at all. I will be further appalled with myself in at least two or three chapters.
More humor than fights in this chapter, I suppose. I needed something for the Straw Hat Crew, Kidd, and Law to be able to use as punching bags, so I amused myself by bringing back the random pirate OCs from the first chapter (since Law hadn't switched them back yet). I didn't feel like naming any of them other than the captain, since it confused me when there are already three on the island.
So…Mediocre he became, because he and his crew are below anyone's notice. Plus I thought it was funny. -shrug- And this chapter is the longest amount of time they'll show up. Since, you know, they're oc's, and are therefore unimportant compared to canon characters. The other times they will show up will be random beatings as everyone else on the island goes about whatever it is they are doing, and they just happen to be in the way.