So... yeah... I AM SO SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATE! Unfortunatly, updates will probably be slower form now on... I`ve started school again and my house`s gotten flooded and stuff...But I promise to update as quickly as I can!
So without further ado, to chapter seven of What the Ocean Gives Us!
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Chapter seven - A Father
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"So Buggy knew Shanks?" Kuina pondered.
Luffy nodded, looking like he just remembered something. The raven woman noticed, her curiosity growing. "You should know, right?"
"Shanks told me about a fellow trainee of his- he says." Zoro said while Luffy moved his hands in different motions.
Nami blinked in surprise. "He knows sign language?"
"Yeah, Na taught him. He just don`t use it that often." Zoro answered, his sister grinning proudly.
"Why? It would be very useful if-"
"You want us to continue?" Zoro grunted, cutting her off mid-sentence, Luffy still signing. Coby noted how he stuck his tongue out in concentration while doing so.
The navigator had the decency to look guilty.
"Shanks said he always fought with him about everything. Like which pole is coldest. And they-"
Kuina laughed loudly. "Who would fight about something as stupid as that?"
Nami rolled her eyes. "Like you`re one to talk."
"Oy!"
"-were on Gol D. Roger`s crew."
"Gol D. Roger? You mean… GOLD ROGER?!" Coby exclaimed, Nami gaping along with him.
"Buggy was on the Pirate King`s crew?" She questioned the Straw hat Captain.
A nod.
"But what is he doing here then?"
A shrug.
"And this Shanks was with him there? Where is he now?" Nami mussed, not really expecting an answer.
"New World, right?" Kuina replied. "The second part of the Grand Line."
"What? He most be very strong then!" Coby eagerly said, admiration for this unknown man glowing in his eyes. "Not just everyone gets so far."
Zoro snorted. "Of course his strong. He`s a Yonko, after all."
Coby nodded along. "Of course, of course, that`s obvious… HE`S A YONKO?!"
"What`s that?" Nami asked, all though, as she looked at Coby`s shocked expression, she couldn`t help but fear the answer.
Kuina grinned widely. "Oh, they are no one special! The Yonko are just the four most vicious Pirate Crews in the world!"
Coby`s screams continued, slowly ebbing towards absolute panic. Luffy punching him didn`t really bring down his hysteria either, to the Captain`s frustration. Zoro, also annoyed by the sounds, decided to help his Captain by threating the pinkhead with his swords. This did shut him up, all though fainting of fear hardly was the best way… Zoro still grinned of the victory, Luffy glowing of awe.
Used to such happenings by now, Nami still managed to come to a conclusion over the commotion. "If that Straw hat is Shanks`… doesn`t that mean Luffy knows a Yonko? Luffy knows one of the most dangerous men in the world?!"
Zoro nodded. "That pretty much sums it up."
Nami stared at the boy in question. "What`s next? What other crazy people do you know? What other things can you do? Wait, I don`t want to know, do I?" Nami concluded, studying the siblings` identical Cheshire grins.
"You have to learn to expect the unexpected with Luffy as your Captain."
Nami rolled her eyes, but silently agreed. Kuina hit Coby in the head, successfully waking him up, and helpfully explained that no, Zoro wouldn`t eat him since it would upset his stomach and Luffy only hit him since he hated loud, annoying sounds. For some reason, Coby didn`t feel better after that.
Nami stared into the horizon and nodded to herself. "We should be at the Gecko Islands in about a hour. I think we should try getting a ship there. And other supplies."
Kuina looked up hopefully. "Is there a princess there we can save?"
Nami sweatdropped at her eagerness.
"We could always buy a ship, you know. When we buy sake." Zoro pointed out.
"And meat." He added as an afterthought, Luffy nodding eagerly with the statement.
Nami growled. "We need other stuff than sake and meat!"
"We don`t have money for all that!" Kuina added helpfully, in normal dramatic fashion, waving her arms do show just how serious she was. "Do you know how much it costs the feed a bottomless hole?" Kuina cried.
Zoro rolled his eyes. "I do actually. I have been living with him since he was just Mugi."
Kuina pouted. "You`re ruining the fun…"
Giving up on the meat/sake issue (for now), Nami chased another issue.
"Mugi?"
"It`s what we called Lu-chan before he told us his name." Kuina answered, before restarting her "economic discussion" with Mudball-brain.
Nami didn`t know what to think about that. She hadn`t really thought about it, but the three of them hadn`t always been like… this. It was unimaginable to think of a time when Zoro and Kuina didn`t fight so good-naturally, with Luffy smiling at the sidelines and laughing at their ridiculousness.
She realized that despite of them calling each other brothers and sister, they weren`t connected by blood. They hadn`t always been together like that. There were a time when they didn`t even know Luffy`s name!
As Nami looked at them, suddenly, their bickering became just a tiny bit more bearable.
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"Buggy Pirates are coming!"
"LIAR!"
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"Hurray! We`re here!" Kuina screamed as she laid down, rolling in the sand.
"Of course! You got a super navigator guiding you, after all!" Said navigator laughed smugly. The raven ignored the arrogant woman and continued to kiss the ground. "What`s with her?" Nami grunted in disapproval, once more doubting the girl`s sanity.
"Na`s happy we made it. She needed four tries before getting us to Shells Town." Zoro explained.
"Four tries?" Coby questioned.
"She missed the island."
Nami rolled her eyes. "Yeah, cause it`s totally not like you to get lost while walking in a straight line."
Kuina laughed at the comment. "Yeah! Did I tell you how Mudball-brain almost got us sucked into a whirlpool when he had guard duty?" Kuina added, as she fruitlessly tried to get the sand out of her hair.
The two woman started exchanging reasons for Zoro`s incompetence, all the while ignoring his very obvious glare. Soon, however, it moved over to Nami grabbing the opportunity to drag a brush through a fuming Kuina`s hair, making threats of shopping to stop her from escaping all together.
Coby paled at the sight of the "devil-women", Zoro tried to stop Kuina`s loud screams for mercy, and Luffy ignored them all together in favor for a nearby cliff.
The Straw hat strolled towards the hidden figures, disregarding the loud whispers of "He`s coming!" and "He noticed us!" as well. The whispers turned into screams as he grabbed a tree on top of the cliff, and catapulted himself to the retreating figures. This did gain the attention of the other four of the group, effectively giving Nami the upper hand in the women`s hair struggle.
Luffy blinked when three collected voices screamed: "WAA! WE`VE BEEN FOUND!" before the owners ran of to the small village further into the island.
"HEY! DON`T RUN AWAY!" Another boy, one closer to their own age, screamed after the boys.
Nami finally deemed Kuina`s hair knot-free, discarding the older woman, leaving her to cry on the ground.
Luffy kept his eyes on the boy. Said boy turned to meet the Captain with a glare, though his shaking knees did rather bring down the intimidation level (not that he`d been threatening to begin with).
Zoro saw how he gathered up his courage as he exclaimed at the top of his lungs:
"I am the Great Pirate Fleet Captain, Usopp! The Great I am in charge of 8000 men! Fear my greatness!" Coby and Kuina started trembling at the thought of the army waiting for them, Nami gaped at the obvious lie and Zoro followed his Captain, and watched for his reacting.
Zoro watched as Luffy`s eyes became distant and blinked when it followed by an almost inaudible mutter.
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"I have a son your age."
It was night, late enough for any child to have been in bed for hours already – except for Luffy. It wasn`t rare for him to have sleepless nights. Stories, music or plain exhaust were needed for some much needed hours of sleep. Yasopp knew this, he'd gotten it beaten into his head by a certain redhead, so he often told stories of adventures or his child (though it was a fifty-fifty chance for the boy to get more excited instead of tired).
This time, however, Yasopp weren`t trying to lull him into the abyss. Luffy was on one of his off-days. Days like these were quiet; he didn`t only not speak, but became silent altogether. His eyes looked blankly out over the ocean-surface. No laughter or squeals or wordless screams. Hell, after hours with silence, Yasopp almost missed him continuously falling overboard! (Only almost, as the nurses had made it very clear that they would dissect him if Luffy got a cold.)
Luffy continued to stare into the distant, but Yasopp was certain he was listening. As the sniper he was, he had keen eyes, keen enough to notice the small twitch on Anchor`s body when he`d first spoken.
"I`ve told you many things `bout him, yes? Well, they – eh – I haven`t been very truthful…"
Yasopp was alone with Luffy. They were on their way to East Blue, to
Syrup Village, Yasopp`s other home. His mission was simple, according to his eccentric Captain and passive Vice-Captain.
"You! Yasopp! Take him!"
Despite of the "simple" assignment, it hadn`t been a simple decision to make. Few had been willing to part from Anchor, no matter how dangerous it would have been for him to live with them. Where to take him, who to take him there without being noticed, who could be trusted to take care of him when they got there… In the end, Ben had made the most logical decision, and here Yasopp was, alone with a gluttonous, traumatized, mute and hyperactive child, all for a simple sniper soul like himself to take care of. Not to mention his vicious and overprotective "nakama" that would rip out his throat if they even suspected Luffy having sneezed on their entire journey.
Not that he blamed them (much); he was protective himself. Everyone would have, after even the smallest glimpse of what Luffy`d been through…
Yasopp didn`t finish that train of thought.
Maybe Yasopp wanting to speak was because he knew that he was going back to his wife and son. Maybe that was the reason for him feeling so nostalgic and honest. On the other hand, maybe it was the fact that he was going to leave Luffy there to be raised by his family. He didn`t know for sure, but he knew to follow his instincts and it was screaming for him to SPEAK.
Therefore, he took a deep breath, and spoke.
"I left him – them – a long time ago. I don`t know him anymore; have not been there for him." Fire lit in his eyes. "I don`t regret it." His voice grew steady, though he wasn`t sure whoever he was speaking to anymore. Was it Luffy, himself, the sea, or maybe even his family, no matter they couldn`t hear him?
"No matter how he must have grown since I last saw him, no matter how I haven`t been a father to him… I still feel like I know him, ya know? A father will always love his child. I will always love him."
Finally, Luffy turned to look at him, a smile at his face as he heard the father repeat himself.
"I love him."
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Usopp looked at the teen before him. Honestly, he didn`t look like much, at least not a Buggy Pirate. Sandals, shorts, red vest and straw hat… all in all, he looked like farmer`s child, or villager like himself (just less awesome, cause no one was as awesome as Captain Usopp himself!). He must be a cabin boy from one of the smaller Buggy divisions, Usopp concluded. He wasn`t someone he needed to worry about. The green haired man behind the kid seemed like a bigger challenge.
Happy with his great analysis, he decided to ignore the kid, and start scaring away the others with his greatness.
He didn`t get that far, however. The kid muttered something under his breath that Usopp didn`t catch.
"What?"
"Usopp," Luffy repeated, louder this time.
The sniper backed off. "How do you – "
"Yasopp loves you."
" – know my…" Usopp trailed off. Silence broke of quickly, as he finally registered the words. "WHAT?!"
Luffy smiled brightly, laughing merrily as Usopp gaped at him like a goldfish. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, none making any more sense than its former. After some moments, Usopp finally regained his bearings.
"You know my father?!"
The teen nodded.
Usopp`s eyes lit up. "Wow! How is he? How`s he doing? His super awesome, right? Of course he is! He`s my father, after all!" Usopp couldn`t believe his luck! Of all the cabin boys out there, he meat one acquainted with his father! As he spoke, the other boy smiled all the way, making Usopp sure that he too knew of Yasopp`s awesomeness. The sniper continued to rant, firing tons of questions to the Straw Hat Captain. He trailed of when Luffy continued to smile, but not answering his questions.
Usopp swallowed nervously, finally daring to ask: "Does he really love me?"
If anything, Luffy`s smile widened when he nodded, and Usopp found himself smiling with him.
Their moment abruptly ended when a black streak sped past them, followed by a high-pitched shout of: "MANSION!"
Nami followed suit, though she stopped when she reached Luffy`s side. Coby stood unsurely next to them. "What she`s doing now?" The navigator grumbled while her eyes stayed on the steadily disappearing woman.
"Looking for a mansion, I think." Coby answered. "She was looking for a princess."
"She was serious?"
Zoro rolled his eyes. "Na is always serious." Luffy nodded in agreement.
"With all the things she says, I really hope you`re kidding."
Zoro shivered. "If only that was the case…"
"What does she want with Kaya?" Usopp asked, eyes squinted in suspicion when he looked at the other pirates.
"Who`s Kaya?" Nami asked the long nosed teen.
"Don`t pretend you don`t know!"
Coby went up to Luffy and grabbed a piece of his trousers nervously. "Luffy-san, do we know someone like that?" Luffy shrugged.
Nami sighed. "I presume Kaya owns a mansion?"
Usopp nodded.
"Well, we don`t know her. That stupid woman was just looking for a mansion. She means no harm… Right?" Luffy agreed with a thumbs-up.
"O-oh. That`s good, I guess… But don`t hurt- Wah!" Usopp ended up being interrupted when Luffy suddenly stepped forwards, to the point that their noses was touching. His eyes was narrowed as he stared into the other`s eyes, looking for God knows what (and Zoro. Zoro would know).
Usopp took some steps back, staring cautiously at the pirates before him, as if seeing them for the first time.
"You aren`t Buggy Pirates, right…?"
Nami huffed, though a smile played on her lips. "Like I`d be some shitty pirate!"
Zoro smirked and threw an arm round Luffy`s shoulders. "We`re the Straw Hat Pirates! Oh, and that guy." He added as an afterthought, pointing at Coby.
"I have a name!"
"Sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night."
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"Ah! Guards!"
An elegant mansion stood separated from the island`s village. Black steel gates framed a garden that was filled with elegantly cut roses and trees. Men dressed in formal black suits stood before the property, eyes wide and alert.
Kuina grinned. "They should be able to help me!" Confidently, possibly, obliviously, she marched to the now startled guards, waving her arms in greeting.
"Hallo my fellow human beings! You wouldn`t happen to be hosting a princess?" She asked posing before them with her fist to her hips. The guards exchanged glances.
"What is she talking about?" Guard one asked the other, whom shrugged in response.
He straightened and smiled down at her. "Sorry kid, but you`ll have to leave. Klahador-sama made it clear not to let anyone in."
The swordsman tilted her head. "Why? You wouldn`t happen to keep the princess prisoner, right?" The last past was said with glee, Kuina`s grin widening by the possibilities.
Guard two grunted in annoyance. "No. Kaya-sama`s rest shouldn`t be disturbed."
"So she`s sick?"
Guard two grumbled. "Yeah, that`s why you need to leave." The voice didn`t hold the same carefreeness as his partner`s.
"Eh? But I need to save her or we`ll have to buy a ship, and then we won`t afford food to Lu-chan and then Mudball will fry Coby and Nami won`t be able to take me shopping - wait."
Guard two finally lost his patience when Kuina weighed the ups and downs on burning all their money, moving to physically remove her from the grounds. Gripping her arm, he was about to drag her away, grumbling through gritted teeth.
However, dragging a hyperactive and armed nightmare of a woman, also known as Kuina, wasn`t the best way to deal with her.
Within seconds, the unfriendly guard fell to the ground, small cuts covering his body while his suit stayed intact. Guard one watched in horror, even while the raven woman started to climb over the gates he was supposed to guard.
"See ya later!"
The guard joined his companion into unconsciousness.
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Kuina stepped further into the garden, humming a merry tune as she did. She saw the mansion and the massive double doors locked and impregnable. However secure the doors were, many windows stood open, begging Kuina to climb through.
"But how to reach them…?"
To her disappointment, Luffy weren`t there to catapult her over – it was sooo fun whenever he sent them flying, especially because of the unmanly squeaks Mudball would make. She wouldn`t say no to the ultimate blackmail!
Luckily, she saw an easy climbable tree nearby, right next to one of the opened windows.
"Oh… That I can climb!"
The Demon woman started climbing the startled tree, pulling herself upwards as if she was half monkey. Kuina had after all climbed many trees in her life because of her little brother`s habit to watch the ocean from high places. She was up in seconds, the tree mighty relieved for the lack of incidents. It had to wonder where the male that used to climb were, however.
Kuina reached the window and where about to climb through it… if it wasn`t for the girl sitting there, covered in blankets and leaned against the window frame. The blondie was pale and skinny, but not in a good way. Though she, by all means, was beautiful, startlingly so, the paleness looked unhealthy and she was just a little bit too thin. Kuina blinked. Neither Zoro nor Luffy fell ill when they were smaller, but Kuina still knew how to comfort and make someone feel better. There had been days when Zoro was just a little bit too grumpy, that usually meant his dream of becoming the best felt a little bit too far away for his liking. Still, being emotional was "girly" and unneeded for training, hence not a problem for the almighty Mudball-brain.
There were nights when Luffy woke up from terrible nightmares about fire and ash and wouldn`t stop crying, holding desperate hands over his mouth to snuffle the screams that wanted to escape his lips and not speak for weeks afterwards.
Those were the times Kuina would sit by them, sometimes telling words of encouragements or comfort, or simply sitting there until those way-to-proud bastards started spilling their guts about their feelings. Then she would put aside the teasing and bad humor and blackmailing, and simply dry the tears away, stroke their hair and read stories until Luffy feel asleep in her lap, or Mudball started arguing with her again.
Before long, Luffy called her Na-nee, and Zoro soon followed. Kuina became the Nee-chan of the three of them.
They became siblings.
Kuina could feel her sister-instincts screaming at her right now to embrace the girl by the window and tell her everything were alright, that she would make her the warm soup that Zoro was so fond of and ginger tea with lots of honey for a dry throat.
Kuina sighed. She`d have to find another princess to kidnap/save then.
The girl seemed to finally have noticed the raven`s presence. She jumped in her seat, and smiled at the other.
"Why hello. Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked kindly, as if it was completely normal for people to break into her mansion.
"Hello to you too! What`s your name?" Kuina said merrily.
"Kaya. You?"
"Why, I am Kuina-sama, the next-to-be Greatest Swordsman in the world, sister of the nest-best Swordsman and the next Pirate King!"
Kaya smiled. "Pirate King. You are pirates then… Neh, what kind of adventures have you been through?" Kuina smiled at the other girl`s eagerness at the question.
"Would you like to hear about the time my little brother fell asleep while fighting some bandits and still won the fight?"
They shared grins.
"Please do."
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If you found the flashback confusing, it`s kinda suppost to be that way.
Until next time!
