Yay! I got two new songs, which I will post in my profile after this chapter.
Robin: Ready?
Let 'er rip!
Robin: (grabs first one) From Demonically Angel Neko88…
Hmm… New one? Anyway! Yes! I am alive!
Robin: (giggles and grabs another) From Gene-chan…
(bows) Thank you!
Robin: Another from Gene-chan… (cuts the lasagna and hands plate with piece on it along with caffe latte) For you. (enjoys her piece and her caffe macchiato)
(takes a bite and feels like in heaven) I missed this! Thank you so much!
Robin: (uses her power to look at the next review) From Kami-san…
(blushes) Aww! I'm so loved!
Robin: (smiles and grabs one) From yoaifan124…
(turns red) Don't worry! This next chapter is coming up!
Robin: This one just came in. From Ookami-san…
(smiles) Don't worry about it, take your time on your stories. And you're right on one thing, but You're gonna see it in this chapter!
Robin: Enjoy!
No sleep…
No sleep until I'm done with finding the answer
Won't stop…
Won't stop before I find a cure for this cancer
Sometimes…
I feel like going down I'm so disconnected
Somehow…
I know that I am haunted to be wanted
)I've been watching
I've been waiting
In the shadows
For my time
I've been searching
I've been living
For tomorrows
All my life(
In the shadows…
In the shadows…
They say
That I must learn to kill before I can feel safe
But I…
I rather kill myself then turn into their slave
Sometimes…
I feel that I should go and play with the thunder
Somehow…
I just don't wanna stay and wait for a wonder
)(
Lately, I've been walking,
Walking in circles
Watching, waiting for something
Feel me, touch me, heal me
Come take me higher…
)(
I've been watching…
I've been waiting…
I've been searching…
I've been living for tomorrows…
In the shadows…
In the shadows…
I've been waiting! – The Rasmus
Chapter 21: Wrong Holiday
That morning, everyone was up for breakfast and were enjoying their crazy start, with Luffy trying to steal everyone's breakfast.
"Hey Shanks! Where's Chopper and Brook? I want everyone to meet them too!"
Shanks feared that his adopted son would ask that, but he quickly thought up something that he hopes is convincing enough. "Chopper is helping victims over at the next village and Brook went with him."
Luffy blinked. "Really?"
"Yep!"
"When will they come back?"
"Uh… I don't know really…"
Luffy pouted. "Ahh! I wanted to see them! I feels like forever since I last saw them!"
Shanks felt sorry and guilty for lying, but he couldn't let him go into a fight he wasn't sure his son could handle.
Unknown to him, Zoro had been watching and saw through the lie.
Then a knock was heard and Shanks went to answer it. "Yes?" He said as he opened the door, only to look shocked. "You Son of a Bitch!"
Everyone looked to see the red-haired man as he started to curse.
"Bastard! I sent you a message ages ago and now you decide to show yourself unannounced?!"
"Is that a problem?" Said a new voice, which sounded bored and tired.
"No, I'm glad you finally showed." Shanks said, completely relaxed as he stepped aside to let his new guest in.
Steady and heavy boots filled the sudden silence.
Shanks came into the dining room with his usual happy grin. "Sorry everyone, I would like to introduce a friend of mine, Mihawk-san."
The said man walked out of the shadows. The man had pale skin, features were sharp, lean yet muscular, had black hair and beard, but what really stood out were his sharp, hawk-like gold-yellow eyes. "So, this is your rag-tag crew… Seem young…"
"Oh no! This is my adoptive son, Luffy, and his friends. You remember Ace, right?"
"Sorry, I couldn't recognize him with his head in the bowl…"
"Huh?" Everyone looked to see that the elder brother had fallen asleep in his cereal bowl.
"Oi! Ace!" Shanks said as he patted the mentioned man, which he lifted his head with cornflakes on his face.
"Huh?"
"Mihawk-kun is here!" The red-haired man said in a teasing tone, which was responded with a black blade nearly going across his throat. "Ah! Can't you take a joke?"
"No."
"Sour sport…"
Mihawk retreated his blade. "So… This is the other boy you spoke so highly of."
"Hey mister…" Luffy started to say. "What the heck are you?"
"Luffy!" Nami said. "That's rude!"
"You didn't mention about the zombie situation, have you?" Mihawk said calmly, causing Shanks to irk.
"Zombie situation?!" The group said.
"What the hell Shanks?!" Luffy called.
"Now Luf, it's going to be settled this evening."
"Chopper and Brook are there, aren't they?!"
Shanks sighed and glared at the new occupant. "I blame you…"
"Blame yourself for not saying anything upon my arrival."
"If I knew you were coming! I would've said something!"
"You wouldn't."
Shanks had him there. "Bastard…"
"So what are you?" Luffy asked, redirecting to the new man.
"I'm Dracule Mihawk, I'm also known as 'Hawk Eyes'. And I'm one of the Daybreakers."
"Seriously?!"
"Daybreaker?" Usopp asked.
"It's a rare type of vampire." Ace explained. "They're the neutral type that can walk in both day and night. But they were once a Nighthunter or a Nightwalker."
"So that's why you smell funny." Luffy said.
"Luffy!" Nami said as she bopped him on the head.
"He's definitely yours, Shanks." Mihawk said indifferently.
"I know!" Shanks said with a laugh.
"I'm still going though." Luffy said to Shanks.
"No." Shanks stopped laughing and looked like a concerned father.
"Why not?"
"Because there could be a good chance that there would be a NightWarlord there and the last thing I need is to worry about your safety!"
As the argument went on, Mihawk sat down next to Zoro and helped himself to the meal. "How long have you learned swordsmanship?"
Zoro was slightly startled at the question, but composed himself. "Since I was nine sir, may I ask how you know that?"
"So ten years, and how I know is because of your hands, they show the wear of training only swordsmen can inflict on themselves. And may I ask what style you excel at?"
"I excel at Santoryuu with katanas of the Japanese heritage."
"Three Sword style? I never heard such a style."
"It's my own."
"Really now?"
"I only have two katanas in my procession, but I'll be finding my third."
"Picky, are we?"
"The sword chooses its wielder, not the other way around."
"Indeed… Well said lad. You know who I am, but not you."
"I'm Roronoa Zoro…"
"Nice to talk to a dedicated swordsman, there's not many out there now."
"Thank you, it's an honor to meet one who holds a sword with such profession and grace. You don't see that now."
"Indeed… So, Roronoa, are you aware of the business that is happening before you?"
"If you mean the vampire thing, I knew for a few months now."
"And it does not concern you?"
"If it was anyone else, then it would be…" The conversation ended their as they watched the argument between Shanks and Luffy.
"I can handle some of them at least!" Luffy called out.
Shanks was starting to wear down on the argument with the teen.
"May as well include those who can fight." Ace said. "There wasn't enough action in the city that was worth Luffy's abilities."
Shanks sighed and looked at Ben, who was drinking coffee.
"Don't give me that look, Shanks."
"But Ben!" He whined.
"Now I know where Luffy got it from…" Sanji said, noticing the similar actions are between the man and the teen.
"What about your friends, Luffy?" Shanks asked, using his last hope. "Surely they don't think this will be good. Am I right?" He looked at the group.
"We're not going." Usopp, Kaya and Nami said in unison.
"I'll go." Zoro said casually.
"Huh?" Shanks said.
"I like to try out this one move I've been working on." Sanji said.
"Huh?"
"I like a good work out, so I don't get rusty." Franky said.
"Wait a minute…"
"Just let it go." Mihawk said. "It's obvious that these lads are egar to prove themselves."
"But…"
"We're going and that's final!" Luffy said with a decisive nod.
Shanks gave in, sat down and ate his now cold plate of food.
"Be a man and get over it." Mihawk said, a little irritated of the man's childish actions.
"Easy for you to say! You're not a father!"
"And I planned to keep it that way… Since you're too much of a child yourself."
Shanks went to a corner and curled up to a ball. "That's cold…"
"Uh…" Usopp said as he whispered to Ben. "Is you always like this?"
"No, he's worse."
Later that evening, before sundown, they found themselves in front of the graveyard gates.
"This looks a bit Romanesque for an Edo era town." Robin said, who agreed to join when she got up. She was wearing a black out coat with a black veil.
"Yeah…" Shanks said. "This part of the country is known to have a random mix of cultures."
"I see…"
They entered through the rusted iron gates and walked pass a few grave stones, which was covered by a white blanket of snow, before a heavy fog suddenly settled.
"Be on your guard!" Mihawk said as he had his hand on the handle of his sword.
Everyone stood still and listened carefully.
Luffy and Zoro were back to back as Sanji and Ace were the same. Ben and Shanks readied themselves as they tapped into their super human senses to be aware.
"Looks to be okay to move." Ben said. "But keep on your toes."
They started to walk down the path again.
"Damn, this place reeks." Sanji said.
"It's to throw us off." Ace said. "Only the NightWarlords have the luxury to have it. That way it's hard to find them in areas such as this cemetery."
"Is that why the fog's here?"
"No…" Robin said. "This fog is something else…"
Then they heard a distant screech and everyone stopped.
"What was that?" Luffy asked.
"Banshee…" Mihawk said.
"Banshee?" Luffy asked.
"Bloody bitches coughed up from the underworld in search for men to devour."
"So it's a demon in a woman's body?"
"If you want to be blunt."
"Damn…" Shanks said. "I haven't fought a Banshee for a hundred years… still scares the shit out of me."
"Especially with those demonic minions, those bastards can really shove a spear up your ass when they get you." Ben said.
Zoro looked ahead until he heard a branch snap. He and everyone looked to where the sound was, which was followed by the sound of hooves and a child-like panicked yell.
"Chopper?!" Luffy called out.
"Luffy!?" The said person called.
"Chopper! Where are you!? Are you okay!? Is Brook with you?!"
The sound of hooves were getting louder and louder until a figure was seen.
"Luffy!" The voice was indeed from a reindeer, who ran up to Luffy and changed to a small reindeer that stood on two legs. He cried on Luffy's chest as Luffy held the reindeer-human tight. Then a screech, louder than before was heard. "It's the Banshee!" He cried.
"We got this Luffy! You take care of Chopper!" Shanks called.
"Right!"
"Zoro! Sanji! Franky! Robin!" Shanks was about to order them to protect Luffy, but they were already in position.
"Oi! Crap-Cook! If I hear anything about you not able to fight, you better stay out of my way!"
"Oi! Oi! You better watch your shitty mouth!"
"Oi! Bros!" Franky said. "Now isn't a good time to argue!"
"Sure make enough noise to raise the dead." Robin said when a zombie hand appeared and grabbed her ankle.
Ben shot the hand and sighed. "Here we go."
"And here I wanted to have a nice holiday evening with my two sons I haven't seen in months and their friends!" Shanks said.
"Quit belly aching and let's get this over with. I like a decent sake after this."
"I gave you my best one!"
"Really?" Didn't get a buzz off of it."
"Why you!"
"Guys!" Ben called. "They're here!"
They saw that they were surrounded with various types of zombies and heard screeches of five Banshees.
"Wrong holiday to appear." Shanks said as he took out his sword and attacked the first zombie.
I dreamed that I was missing
You were so scared
But no one else would listen
Cause no one else cared…
After my dreaming
I woke with this fear
What am I leaving
When I'm done here
So if you're asking me
I want you to know…
)When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reason to be missed
Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory
Leave out all the rest…
Leave out all the rest…(
Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've share what I made
I'm strong on the surface…
Not all the way through
I've never been perfect
But neither have you…
So if you're asking me
I want you to know…
)(
))Forgetting all the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well
Pretending someone else
Can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are…((
)(
))((
I can't be who you are… - Linkin Park
Well… That was a loooong one. Hope it was any good. See you next chapter! Oh! First song was 'In the Shadows' and ending song was 'Leave Out All the Rest'.