Perception
By Silver Dragonfly
Dracule Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman and one of seven pirates given the title "Warlord" by the World Government, was a well-known man. His reputation was justified, and his piercing golden eyes were known for seeing everything to those around him. Because of these facts, he had grown accustomed to nervous and calculating stares directed his way. It was normal, and he had come to expect it to some degree. What he was currently experiencing, however, was not.
He twitched as it happened again, tensing as he extended his senses, but refusing to look back over his shoulder. Instead, he shifted his golden gaze to the Vice Admiral who was approaching as they both walked down the corridor from opposite directions. The man stared, not at Mihawk himself, but at him none-the-less.
The Vice Admiral narrowed his gaze and frowned. He paused a moment, almost tripping as he realized Mihawk was studying him, and then looked away as he continued down the corridor and past the Warlord as if nothing had happened. Mihawk was tempted to stop the man and ask just what he had been looking at but refrained; he would not be made a fool of so easily. He sensed it, however, when the Vice Admiral looked his way once more as they continued to move in opposite directions.
This had been going on for days. Mihawk was not absolutely certain when it had started, but he had a strong suspicion Akagami and his nephew had something to do with it. Just as he was sure they were also guilty for the summons he had received upon arriving at Marineford to a private meeting with some of the eldest Marines still in service.
"Mihawk, sir. They will see you now." A duty officer announced as he approached the designated room.
Mihawk did not bother to vocalize a reply but just swept forward into the room and quickly surveyed the space, noting its occupants. This was going to be an interesting meeting, to say the least. The Fleet Admiral Sengoku "The Golden Buddha", the Marine Hero Vice Admiral Garp "The Fist", and lastly Vice Admiral Tsuru "The Great Staff".
"You've been keeping some questionable company, Mihawk." Sengoku grumbled as soon as the door closed behind the Warlord.
Mihawk raised an eyebrow in query as he let his gaze travel slowly from one to the next. Settling himself into the waiting chair, he propped his feet up on the table that separated him from the three elite marines.
"You know who I mean!" the Fleet Admiral snarled as Garp began laughing at his right.
"You've been spending time with that Red-Haired lad again." Tsuru spoke, a hint of fondness in her voice as she mentioned the Yonko Pirate.
Mihawk refrained from any visible reaction as he noted her tone and choice of words in reference to Akagami.
"Red-Haired Bastard corrupted my grandson." Garp growled.
Sengoku glared sharply at Garp and then returned his focus to Mihawk. Mihawk glanced from The Fist to The Buddha and then grinned, his eyes glowing in mirth. "Monkey D. Luffy is the grandson of a Marine Hero."
Sengoku's expression turned even more sour. "Your duels with Red-Hair Shanks are well known, but there have been no rumors of such clashes in ten years. However, you continue to be seen keeping company with the Red-Haired Pirates. What is your association with them, Mihawk?!" Sengoku demanded.
Mihawk twitched once as his senses were tickled once more and he noted that all three of the elder marines all seemed to shift their gazes ever so slightly up and to his left before focusing on him once more.
"Well," Tsuru spoke, "Are you allies with the Red-Haired Lad or not?" She demanded.
Mihawk was very tempted to roll his eyes. "No." he answered, his voice clipped.
"And yet you were found on his ship."
"A way to pass the time, only," Mihawk replied idly.
"You were not given the position of Shichibukai so you could laze about with the Yonko." Tsuru chided.
Mihawk did not respond.
"Give us one reason, Dracule "Hawkeyes" Mihawk, why we should not strip your position?" Sengoku said slowly, a hard edge in his tone.
"Whitebeard." was Mihawk's slow and single reply.
Garp guffawed and Sengoku sighed.
"Now, the blonde young man recently identified as nephew of Red-Hair Shanks…" Tsuru spoke.
And here, Mihawk mused, was the heart of the matter.
"What do you know of him?" The elder woman asked, the softer tones previously present in her voice now gone.
"Loud." Mihawk offered.
A pencil snapped as Sengoku glared at him. "Is he, in fact, a blood relation to Red-Hair?" The Fleet Admiral demanded.
Mihawk studied the trio of Marine Admiral and Vice Admirals in front of him before speaking. "He is."
"And does he answer to the name of Uzumaki Naruto?" Sengoku then asked, resigning himself to having to take a direct approach.
"He does." Mihawk answered with no change in his demeanor.
"Does Red-Hair share the Uzumaki relation or is it from another?" Tsuru then asked, her gaze calculating.
Mihawk was almost surprised by this question; he had not expected it. Was there something to the boy's family name then? "Uncertain." Mihawk finally answered. Red-Hair had told him that the relation was through a long dead sibling, but not if that sibling had been an Uzumaki.
Sengoku raised a paper to show Mihawk the solid red circle outlined in black with a black spiral line winding through to its middle. "Does either Red-Hair or his nephew wear this symbol?" the man demanded.
Mihawk raised an eyebrow but answered, "The boy wears it in two places on his jacket. One just below his left shoulder on the sleeve, the second in the center of his back between the shoulder blades, only the one on his back is red."
Garp straightened. "So, it's true then."
A flicker of feeling tickled Mihawk's senses at the old marine's words and Mihawk's gaze shifted to the often-eccentric Vice Admiral.
Garp studied Mihawk carefully then grinned. "You've tested the boy. How is he?"
Mihawk barely refrained from blinking in surprise; he was not used to such perception from the man. Then he frowned: he would have no choice but to answer such a direct statement.
"He is strong. Although his fighting style is unlike anything I have encountered before." Mihawk answered slowly.
Sengoku cursed vehemently.
"You are dismissed, Dracule, but do not leave Marineford." Tsuru ordered.
Mihawk did not move for several long moments, then gracefully rose to his feet and turned to leave. He paused before opening the door, "Red-Hair will go to war to protect his own." He said quietly before opening the door and letting it close behind him. His own mind puzzling over the bits of information he gleaned from his polite interrogation. The blonde teen traveling with Akagami made the oldest of the admirals uneasy; this was both intriguing and unsettling. A war with Whitebeard was on the horizon and it would make the Marines very cautious for now, but after… well, it was not his problem.
He stopped as he found his path blocked by a large form.
"Bartholomew Kuma." Mihawk stated.
"Dracule Mihawk." The large man replied in a matching tone. "You have a delivery waiting."
Mihawk frowned as the strange tickling sensation occurred again, but ignored it to focus on the other warlord's statement. His gaze narrowed, the man wouldn't have… yes, he would. Mihawk did not bother to answer, however, and moved past the man continuing on his way. There was nothing he could do about it now, he only hoped whoever it was that the Tyrant had given passage to would be gone by the time he himself returned home.
.:o:.
It had been nearly two weeks, and nothing. Had it gotten bored and fallen asleep? It wouldn't be the first time it had happened. Sakura had screamed at him and then proceeded to beat him to a pulp when that kunai-clone suddenly dispersed in her hand. He'd been very careful about making sure he didn't leave any henged clones lying around for a while after that. Two weeks… if there was one thing Naruto knew, it was that his clones could get weird sometimes. Most often, it was the ones that he had running around for extended time periods, although even that had gotten better with all the practice he had had lately; but two weeks and it hadn't popped yet. He growled and muttered, if the bastard had found a place selling ramen and was off eating his favorite food without telling him again….
Shanks finally turned to his nephew and stared at him intently.
Naruto froze in place, sensing his uncle's gaze. He looked up at the older man, eyes widening.
"What is it?" Shanks finally asked, amused.
Naruto fidgeted nervously, "Well, see… I … ah…"
Shanks raised an eyebrow. "You…?"
Naruto glanced sideways as he continued to fidget. "IkindoftaggedMihawkwithaHiraishinmarker."
Shanks blinked. "Say that again?" He asked slowly.
Naruto sighed, his shoulders drooping. "I tagged Mihawk with a Hiraishin marker."
Shanks blinked again. "Isn't that the…"
"Yes." Naruto answered quickly.
"That might come in handy. I'm surprised he didn't catch you at it."
Naruto glared, "Oi! I'm a Shinobi!"
Shanks waved his hand dismissively, "Of course, of course." Then Shanks paused as he noticed his nephew resume his fidgeting. "That isn't all of it, is it?"
Naruto looked sideways again and began to mutter. "I replaced the feather in his hat with a henged clone."
Shanks blinked slowly as the words processed. He stared at his nephew eyes widening. "Clone." He said pointing to Naruto. "Feather." He said his arm moving into a flapping wing motion. "Hat?" He said at last pointing to his head.
Naruto nodded.
Shanks mouth slowly spread into a wide grin and then, between one heartbeat and the next, the Red-Haired Pirate collapsed to the deck, his laughter ringing out across the ship.
Naruto blinked and then smirked as he stared at his uncle's antics.
"Oi, Naruto. You aren't supposed to break him." Benn grumbled as he turned toward the noise, but smirked and began chuckling along with several nearby crewmembers. "Hawkeyes is going to try to kill you for that."
Naruto chuckled, "Ah, well it will be worth it to see his face."
"Clone, feather, hat." Shanks mumbled and began giggling again.
Thank you for reading.
One Piece and all its characters © Eiichiro Oda
Naruto and all its characters © Masashi Kishimoto
Special Thanks to my beta readers (and sounding boards): Blue Melodie, Inazuma Pocky, & Aria Ino.