As always, here's a new chapter, and I'm working on more, maybe even a new story if you're interested. Apart from that, have a nice day.
Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece.
…
I looked at the food as Larisa went around and looked for what she was after. After a few minutes of me asking about how to spot the kind of oranges she wanted me to buy, she told me that she'd handle it, so I gave her some money, more than she'd need, with the advice to find something she wanted with what was left over.
"Captain." She said. I looked up from the fish as she walked over. "Oh, you're looking for, seafood."
"Just browsing mostly." I said. I pointed at a spot. "This was packed in ice for weeks. I think we'd be better off buying nets and fishing equipment." She slowly nodded and I looked at her bag, and she moved it a little. "New equipment?"
"It's, for personal use." She said quietly. "One of those things I, want, but don't really need… Most times, anyway." I shrugged.
"Cool." I said. I looked back at the fish as the man walked over.
"So, buying?" He asked.
"Sorry, but, I don't think so." I said.
"It's one hundred percent fresh." He said. "Never frozen or packed. Caught right at the dock. Whatever we don't sell here today, we cook at home." I pointed at a fish. "Good ch…"
"This was caught in the eastern part of North Blue." I said. "You can't get this here because of the requirements to maintain them being too costly." I stood up straight and sighed. "I'd stop advertising fresh if you're going to call in frozen."
"It wasn't…" He started. I pointed at a spot.
"That spot is tough and dry from being packed in ice." I said. I turned and walked away as Larisa stifled a laugh, walking beside me.
"Goodness, you have an eye for quality, for meat and fish at least." She said.
"Well, shopping for Pops." I said. "He had me go ashore each time, find out how to find good meat and vegetables. Never had me gather fruit. The only fruits I really like are apples, peaches, and bananas."
"Yes, considering you bought three barrels of each…" She said. I laughed. "At any rate, we're set for food, apart from meat, and I assume you've got someone on that?"
"I have Sario on that." I said. "Told him what to look for. Good marbling, what color to look for, and a specific smell that he'd know. I've got him after whole sides, and plenty of ice. We'll work on keeping the rooms cold so we can keep the meat, salt whatever we have to."
"You have a well rounded skill set." She said.
"Not, really." I said. "Really, I'm about, half as good as I wanted to be, and after eight years… I guess that's good, but the one thing I'm better at than anything, is fighting… Honestly, I never would have believed it eight years ago, but, I've got this, knack, for finding vital points and just…" She nodded. "I know where to be, when to be there, and when to move away to safety if I can't take the hit."
"Who could hurt you?" She asked. "Apart from your captain and his crew."
"Oh, there are a lot of people out there, strong enough to beat me." I said. I went to say more when I stopped. "Is that what I think it is?" She looked over and sighed heavily.
"Yes, it's a bar." She said. I looked at her and shook my head, pointing.
"No, that." I said. She looked at where I was pointing and then back at me.
"A tattoo parlor." She said. I smiled.
"It's been a while." I said.
"You can't get a tattoo." She said. "Remember?"
"Yeah, but…" I started.
"You're not about to suggest I get a tattoo." She said. "Are you?"
"Well, considering our line of work…" I said. I pointed at her. "Your line of work." She sighed. "Come on, you have all you need to make sure they do it right. Medicine in case you get sick, something to help your skin heal faster…"
"Luna." She said quietly.
"And you can check them out before they do anything." I said. "If they're not clean enough for your taste, then we'll find someone better." She sighed. "Come on, at least take a look. Hey, if all else fails, if we run into Pops, he has a guy on his ship that can handle it, quick, clean, and nearly painless."
"I'll look, but I won't do it if there's any dust." She said. I smiled as we walked over, and when we walked in, Larisa gasped. "Oh, goodness…" I grimaced as a Marine planted the face of a man into the wall.
"Hold him!" A captain said. "I said, hold him!"
"Geeze…" I said quietly.
"Step back, he's dangerous!" A Marine said, holding his arm out. I held my hand up just as his nearly grabbed my chest.
"Watch your hand or I'll be dangerous." I said. The man pushed the Marine away, roaring furiously. "What did he do?"
"Murdered a man that came in the other day." The one near me said. The man began wresting two other Marines as he tried to move me back. "Over a matter of five Beri. He's, insane!" The man kicked as the captain stepped back, and he looked at me. I handed my groceries to the Marine.
"Lu-Rose!" Larisa said quickly. The man rushed me, but I kicked him in the throat, making him cough loudly as he staggered back, and I grabbed his arm and turned, throwing him over my shoulder while simultaneously dislocating his elbow, and likely breaking his tibia in the process. "Oh no." The man struggled to get up, so I kicked him in the head, flooring him again. That time, he didn't get up, but he made noises after a few seconds.
"Uh, th-thanks." The captain said. I took my groceries back.
"Well, there went our plans to check for a tattoo." I said. "Good job boys." We walked out and Larisa stared at me. "I know, I know… Bad luck. I guess he picked a bad place. Either he was drunk, or the customer spent too much on his drinks and couldn't pay the five Beri."
"Actually, I was going to suggest leaving it to the Marines." She said. "Not exactly low key." I shrugged.
"I don't like low key when I'm not undercover." I said.
"You are undercover." She said.
"No, I'm in disguise." I said. "Difference is, I'm not trying to evade the Marines. I'm hiding in plain sight." She sighed.
"Well, if you weren't so capable, I'd be worried." She said. "But since you are that capable, if they come after us, you'll come up with something to get us to safety."
"Already got one." I said. "Sneak onto their ships with Soru, disable the cannons, break the wheel and ruin the sails, and then get to the Silver Wing and escape. Easy." She laughed.
"If you had said that the other day, I would have said you were insane." She said. "But given your growing proficiency with Soru, I believe you could do it."
"Hey!" A man called.
"Oh dear." She said.
"Wait!" He called. I stopped and turned, and the Marine ran over with a bag in his hand. As he reached us, he panted to catch his breath. After a moment, he held it out. "For, your help. We encourage, citizens to avoid situations like this, but, we reward heroes." I slowly took the bag as he inhaled deeply.
"Thank you." I said after a second. "I was just kind of annoyed my sister couldn't check out the parlor. She was thinking about getting a tattoo."
"She was?" He asked. He looked at Larisa. "You were?"
"Well, somewhat." She said. "A, uh, caduceus, maybe."
"A what?" He asked.
"It's used as a medical symbol these days." I said.
"Oh, one of those, cool." He said. "Uh, well, regardless, five hundred Beri. Yours. I uh, have to get back." He gave a quick salute. "Ladies." He turned and ran quickly as I looked at the bag.
"Not bad." I said. "Some change." Larisa laughed.
"This is turning out to be quite a good day." She said. "We spent two hundred on food, I spent another eighty on, myself… So we just made two hundred and twenty Beri profit with a short trip to somewhere we were going to spend a little more." I smiled.
"We're just lucky that way." I said. I looked up and smiled. "Hey, look."
"Oh, dear." She said tiredly.
…
I smiled as Larisa kicked Sario's hand repeatedly, and quite quickly. She was really getting good, and it helped Sario with his Haki. I had trained my Soru for a few hours, and the rest of the crew was enjoying a little time to themselves in town, with orders not to party too hard or draw attention, so they were just having dinner and finding various entertainment around the town that didn't involve alcohol, per Larisa's recommendation.
"How are you holding up, doc?" Sario asked. She set her leg down and breathed quietly and wiped her forehead.
"Tired, but, I know this is worthwhile." She said.
"And it builds a little muscle." I said. "Keep it up and you won't get as tired this quickly." She nodded and Sario laughed.
"Hey, you're doing great." He said. "Keep training like this, I think you'll be able to hold off anyone attacking, maybe beat them, and we can have a little more time to help out." She smiled. "I know I wasn't exactly all that jazzed at this idea at first, but now… You've got a real knack for this."
"Well, I, don't know about that." She said. "I never took the Hippocratic Oath… Though I'm skilled enough as a doctor and surgeon…"
"Cool." I said. She sighed quietly. "Sario, how are your hands?"
"A little sore." He said, laughing. "Seriously, I'm really focused here, and my hands hurt from being kicked." Larisa looked at his hands, closely.
"A little red, but, as a swordsman, I suppose you're used to it." She said. He nodded as she sat down on a crate. "I might need to rest before I continue." I held my hands up. "Captain?"
"Still need some practice, Sario?" I asked. He held his hands up.
"Sounds good." He said. I punched his hands, and he laughed. "I thought you'd hit harder."
"Watching you, I know where your limit is, or close to it." I said. "So, I'm going to go just a little above where it should be. That way…" I threw a punch and he shook his hand after I moved it back. "You can focus on getting even better at it." Larisa laughed quietly. "So, how goes the Kenbun-shoku training?"
"I think I'm doing better." He said. "I think Larisa should give it a shot. You said most people could learn it?"
"It requires great strength of will, but yeah, most people have the potential." I said. "Not great potential, but still, it'd be great for a prize fighter." He laughed as I punched his hands. "Busō, though, that'd be great for anyone." After a few minutes of hitting his hands, he shook them and held them at his sides.
"Okay, that's enough for me." He said. "More than that and I think they'll start bleeding." He blew on his palms for a few seconds. "Wow." I turned as Larisa stood up, and I held my hands up.
"Really?" She asked.
"You were going to keep training, but if Sario can't help…" I said, smiling a little. She nodded and adopted the stance, kicking my right hand fairly hard. "Don't hold back. I've been training for eight years. Believe me, your best kick would probably do more damage to your shoes." She laughed before kicking very hard, and I smiled. "See?" Sario laughed.
"Yeah, like hitting iron, so be very careful." He said. "My hands can attest to that." I smiled as she kicked again, just as hard.
We continued this for a few minutes, waiting for the rest of the crew. If anyone had news of something useful, they were on orders to let me know as soon as possible, so we could plan as was needed. When the first man came aboard, a man named Harding, he walked over quickly.
"Got something?" I asked.
"Yeah, not too big, but, it might just be me…" He said, his voice tapering.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Well, there's talk of a guy that ate a Cursed Fruit on the island somewhere." He said. I looked at him. "It's just a rumor, but, there's always at least a little truth to most rumors, right?" He put his hand to his chin, adopting a thoughtful look. "Odd thing is, he hits places where the Marines frequent in their off hours most often." I smiled a little.
"What do you think?" Sario asked. "Should we look for him?"
"Well, it'll be interesting." I said. "At the very least, we can add one to a book I have about various Devil Fruits." Larisa stopped, wiping her forehead again. "Top it off, he apparently doesn't like Marines, and he's good at not getting caught."
"It's definitely something I'd be interested in." She said. "After all, it might help if we ever need to help someone with similar powers."
"Sounds good to me." I said.
"Word has it he's a thief." Harding said. "That he steals when people leave their wallets or money out, but no one ever sees him. Seems to happen most often at a clothes store uptown."
"Well, I could use some new disguises, a few outfits…" I said. I looked at Larisa, who seemed almost worried.
"Um, yes?" She asked.
"What do you say we go see about some new clothes?" I asked, smiling. "Come on, just two girls going for a new look." She laughed while Harding smiled a little.
"If you need a hand, we can spread a little money here and there, try to find him ourselves." He said.
"I like the way you're thinking." I said. "Go to where he's been heard to be, get some outfits that don't say 'hey, we're pirates', no offense to your current look." He looked at his outfit. "And we'll take care of the place he's struck most often." He nodded as Sario stretched.
"I'll hit up another place." He said. "Any chance he shows up near blacksmiths or weapon shops?"
"No, he steers clear of anywhere like that." Harding said. "Just a guess, but armed people are better suited to protecting their money." We laughed while Sario rubbed his head.
"Darn, because I saw a pretty cool set of axes I could practice with." He said. "Maybe get one for Pell, as a welcoming gift."
"Well, go buy 'em." I said. "Not like we don't have a little cash to spare."
…
I squealed quietly as I looked at a dark blue dress. It was formal, backless, and seamless. Larisa was looking over clothes in another area, but I wanted something for infiltrating parties, or at the very least, going to parties with if I were invited for whatever reasons.
"I take it you'd like to try this on?" A saleswoman asked. I nodded, fighting the urge to grow a tail just so I could wag it. "Would you like the matching gloves, shoes, and purse?" I looked at her as I fought another urge to make my eyes grow to twice their size.
"Yes please." I said in a high tone. She laughed.
"I don't think anyone has ever been so excited to try on a dress." She said. I looked at it. "I just hope it fights right, so you won't be sad."
"It'll fit." I said. "Like a glove." She slowly took it off of the rack while I picked up the shoebox and the gloves she'd mentioned, along with the purse. "They're so beautiful."
"Special ordered just so we could have something for formal parties." She said. "There are a few like it, but they're all unique in their own way. No two exactly alike." She walked over to a dressing room and handed the dress to me. "If you need anything, I'll be at the counter."
"Thank you." I said happily. She walked away as I stepped in. I put my wallet down so it was in plain view and set the dress on a rail before undoing my shirt. I took it and my jacket off and put them on a hook, and I removed my pants. "This is a beautiful dress. I'm glad I've got the money for it." I removed my boots and set them aside, putting my gloves next to them before removing my socks. I carefully took the dress off of the hook and slipped it on, followed by the shoes and long gloves, though I had to slim my body down a little and lengthen my feet just a bit. Looking at the mirror, I squealed quietly. "Yes. It fits perfectly." I heard the curtain move slightly, so I looked at it. I'd put a lot of money in my pockets as well as my wallet, so I was set, but I stared at the wallet as it moved, without the aid of a hand. I slowly turned and it stopped. After a moment, I picked up the purse and looked it over. "Such a beautiful purse as well." I smiled and saw something move, vaguely shaped like an arm, but it quickly became nearly invisible. 'Camouflage? That's his power? Uh, camo-camo fruit?' I watched the hand go out so I opened the curtain, and saw it move behind a stand, and quickly toward the door. I grabbed my jacket and quickly walked toward the counter. "It fits." The woman smiled and giggled.
"So it does." She said. "Wow, it looks good on you. You don't even need makeup." I giggled.
"I have to hurry to my ship though." I said. "I have a friend to grab my things. I forgot something kinda important."
"You'll wear that out?" She asked. I nodded, paying attention to someone moving slowly out of the store. "Okay, it will come to…" I put down a large amount of money. "Um, that, is a little, too much."
"My friend is looking for some clothes." I said. I looked over at Larisa as she looked at me, so I waved. It was the signal that I'd spotted the thief. She waved back. "I've got the pay for this, so find something nice, sis."
"Okay." She called. I turned back as the woman smiled.
"Have a nice day." She said. "I'll show your sister to your changing room." I nodded and walked out after the figure walking out, and I spotted it walking carefully toward an alley, so I walked somewhat near it, but not like I was following it.
'He's not bad.' I thought. 'If I weren't looking for him, he'd have stolen my money for sure. Too bad for you, camo-camo man.' I saw him go down the alley, so I stopped and looked at my jacket, which I held over my arm. "Oh, my wallet." The figure stopped, stepping right in a puddle. I turned slightly and walked down the alley. "Sir, I believe you have something of mine." He turned, and became visible. He was, to my surprise, a very large, purple lizard man.
"How did you know I was here?" He asked. I stared for a moment.
"Well, being that tall kind of helped." I said. "Honestly, I thought you'd be smaller, for a thief. But that camouflage…" I walked a little closer and held my hand out. "My wallet." He moved back. He wore a gray button up shirt, cargo pants, and a pair of steel toe boots with the steel partly visible, and some black leather gloves with claws sticking out. He looked, like a giant chameleon. I moved my fingers and he shook his head.
"I need the money more than you." He said. "How you can afford such fancy clothing without your wallet just shows how a follower of the Marines steals so much from others."
"I stole that from…" I started. Without warning, I had dodged a punch. He'd somehow closed twenty feet in under a second, but it was probably from his long legs. He stood up fully, and towered over me. "Hey, calm down, I just…" I dodged another punch, narrowly. "Man, you're, quick." I caught his other fist, and he swung his other arm at me, throwing me against a wall, hard. As he started turning, I got up. "Now that's just rude. I just bought this dress, and you made me drop my jacket, in a puddle." I put the purse down carefully on a clean surface and sighed.
"H-how did you…" He started. "I did that to a Marine, and knocked him out." I brushed the bottom of the dress off.
"I'm tougher than the Marines." I said in an annoyed tone. "Now…" I dodged another punch and went to hit him, but he avoided it by jumping back. "For a big lizard, you're pretty quick. Now…." He suddenly shot his tongue at me, and I just moved around it to keep from getting hit. I looked and saw that he had grabbed my jacket, and reeled it in. "Okay, now I'm going to hurt you. That may not be my best jacket, but it has a few of my keys. Give it back, and I'll just hit you once." He put the jacket behind him and shot his tongue out again, so I grabbed it and wrapped it around my arm. As he pulled, I returned the favor. He groaned as I pulled harder, and he quickly let out a yelp of pain. "You've already put dirt and dust on a brand new dress, and now there's spit on my jacket and my new gloves. My shoes are scuffed, and you stole my wallet." As I pulled him right up to me, I grabbed the horn on his nose, and looked into his right eye, while the left looked behind him. "Any words before I rip your tongue out?"
"Thtupid Mawine wenkch!" He said angrily. I pulled him closer and pointed at his eye.
"I'm not with the Marines." I said sternly. "I'm a pirate." His other eye focused on me as I grabbed his horn with both hands. "Now, I'll forgive you for your transgressions, on one condition. You join my crew." I saw surprise. "If you don't, I'm going to break your horn off. Then I'm going to stomp on your tongue with my heel. Okay?" He nodded. "Take your time… While your thinking, what the hell did you eat to turn into, this?" I looked him over for a moment as he looked around, visibly in thought.
"Tokage-Tokage." He said. "Model Chameleon."
"Ah, Zoan type." I said thoughtfully. "So, your choice? Broken horn and stomped tongue, or fight the Marines with me." His eyes focused on me.
"You fight them?" He asked.
"They tried to kill me." I said. "So I trained with a great pirate, and stole a Marine ship."
"Luna Veluria." He said. He held my things out, but as I took my wallet, he let his hand hang in the air. I took it. "Harold Azuria." I let go of his horn and he slowly changed into a human, making me tilt my head.
"Cool." I said. He laughed quietly.
"Uh, sorry about the dress." He said. I shrugged.
"No damage." I said. "Haki." He nodded. "So, my jacket." He handed it to me. "Keep in mind, you don't toe the line, I am more than willing to throw you overboard. We both know what'd happen there." He was silent. "I'm not kidding."