Everyday Life with the Straw Hats
Authors notes: This Chapter was having a hard time being uploaded for some reason, so I sadly had to reupload this chapter several times in order to get it to work, so for anyone who got multiple notifications for this chapter being uploaded then deleted then uploaded again. its because it was having a hard time uploading properly. just wanted to clarify that if anyone was wondering.
Liminal Tournament arc: part 4: Hidden Secrets
the group entered the building, and there were visitors as far as the eye could see. many of them seemed shady and suspicious. however, there were an equal amount of them that seemed quite strong and ruthless.
"oh my, I didn't expect this place to be so crowded with people" mero said as she observed her surroundings. "but I know my prince will protect me" Mero said sweetly towards sanji.
"you can count on that my fair lady, I will always protect you!" sanji declared as he usually does when lovestruck.
the place did have small vendor shops located around the entrance hall. zoro decided that he would like to look around a bit before the tournament officially started.
"i'm going to go look around for a bit, see what some of these vendors sell, maybe they'lll have something interesting." Zoro said as he started to walk off.
"just don't get lost mosshead! We will need to regroup before the tournament starts!" Sanji shouted.
"I will accompany him, after all he is my master" Cerea said with her cheeks blushing as she followed along with Zoro.
"I'm going to go make a call real quick, its important. I will stay here by the entrance if any of you need me" Smith said as everyone started to look around on their own.
As Zoro and Cerea started looking at a few blades one of the merchants were selling. Another individual walked up beside them to admire the vendors valuables.
"these are nice blades, but it saddens me that you don't sell scythes of any kind." said the stranger.
"listen here, I ain't no blacksmith, what you see is what you get. Either buy something or get the hell out of here!" said the weapon merchant grumpily. Zoro and cerea looked up to see a slim man wearing a dark cloak with a scythe on his back. He had white hari, black eyes but his the iris of his eyes were bright yellow.
"thats some weapon you got there." zoro said as looked at the giant scythe.
"yes, this is my personal weapon of choice. It is the signature weapon of my people." the stranger replied.
"your people" Cerea said curiously, "correct me if i'm wrong, but are you a Dullahan?"
the stranger smiled that Cera recognized his race "yes I am, I glad you were able to notice."
"are you competing in the tournament? Or are you just spectating?" zoro asked.
"I am competing, I am on a mission to find someone important to me, and I'm hoping that winning this tournament will give me a chance to talk to the host of this tournament, because I'm afraid he might be involved with the disappearnce of this person who is close to me." the stranger said.
"who is this close person you are trying to find? If you don't mind me asking" Cerea questioned.
"Her name is Lala, she is a dullahan like me, as well as my sister." the stranger replied.
"I see, well good luck to you, we will also be competing in the tournament so unfortunatly our weapons will have to cross if either of us is to win. But I admire you goal." zoro said to the stranger. "by the way, what is your name?" zoro asked.
"my name is Wraith." said the stranger "and good luck to the both of you in the tournament." Wraith said as he started to began to walk away. "let the best fighter win!"
meanwhile with Luffy:
"even though this place looks kinda filthy, I hope that they have some good food." Luffy said as he started to look at around, trying to see if any of the vendors were selling food. Miia was following along with Luffy obviously.
"this place kind of gives me the creeps, but I know I don't need to worry as long as I'm with my darling" Miia said as she started to wrap her tail around Luffy bringing him in for a hug. "I can't wait to see how strong and courageous you will be in the tournament darling!" Miia said, fangirling all over Luffy.
"hey! If your going to be all kissy-kissy with your girlfriend, this is not the place!" shouted a voice from someone who was walking up to Luffy and Miia. "this is a place for fighters, not for mushy affection." shouted the voice as the person who said it came into view of Luffy and Miia. He was werewolf liminal who was wearing leather pants, a black trench coat and spiked boots. "you two are an eyesore, get out of here before I gut the two of you." he growled.
"we're not hurting anybody, why don't you back off and leave us alone before I need to kick your ass!" Luffy said sternly at the werewolf.
Miia liked this serious side to Luffy, it made him look tough, and that he was willing to beat up bullies and jerks to protect her. She started blushing uncontrollably.
"kick my ass?! Oh that's priceless. I'm assuming you have no idea who I am? Let me inform you on who you are mouthing off to. I am Lycan, captain of the Claw Pirates, and my crew is a subsidiary crew to Kaido the beast, one of the four Pirate Emperors. You talk bad to me, and you'll have to answer to him!" Lycan said arrogantly.
Miia instantly snapped out of her day dream of her and Luffy. That name that Lycan said instantly caught her attention, and it sent a shiver down her spine, also making her skin crawl at just the sound of that name. "did you just say….Kaido?" Miia asked with a petrified look on her face.
Luffy usually saw Miia in her bright and cheerful mood. But this expression that he saw on her face, one of pure dread, like she just saw a ghost in front of her or something. This was beyond ordinary fear...this was something much worse.
"you heard that right, I work for Lord Kaido, captain of the Beast Pirates. And….wait" Lycan paused. He noticed the D-shaped hair clip on Miia's head. "wait a minute...that hair clip. And your a-"suddenly it all came together for Lycan, a light bulb came on in his head, and he understood exactly what was going on. "oh isn't this just perfect, you thought that things would be 'safe' now for everyone. didn't you? You thought that things would return back to they way they used to be and everyone would go back to enjoying their lives. isn't that right….lamia girl.?" Lycan said that last line with low, predatory tone. Glaring right at her with his intense eyes.
"I-I have no idea what your talking about…" Miia replied trying to hide behind Luffy and not make eye contact with Lycan.
"you can't bluff your way out of this one, I know EXACTLY who you are, and that hair clip is all the proof I need." Lycan growled. His eyes never breaking sight of her for a moment.
"y-your wrong, if you know who I am, then whats my name?!" Miia shouted back, this time looking at Lycan directly.
"names don't matter, the only thing that matters is that Lord Kaido will be pleased to know I found you." Lycan smiled maliciously "...quite pleased indeed."
Miia began to cry, trying to hold back her tears, and her entire body was trembling from the fear.
"and yet you and everyone else from your village still hold hope in that "Will of D." nonsense, I know that's why everyone in your village wear a hair clip in the shape of a D, but it only made it easier for you to be found." Lycan said while he began to laugh.
Miia looked up at Luffy with tears running down her face. "Please darling….can we leave this place?" Miia begged while still trying to hold back the tears. "please, take me away from here, anywhere but here!" Miia asked as she covered her face with her hands and sobbing uncontrollably.
Luffy didn't respond at first, but he took a deep breath and walked up to Lycan stared at him eye to eye.
"I don't know whats going on with this situation, or why you know so much about Miia or her village, or what that has to do with Kaido or the Will of D or any of that….But." Luffy eyes became fierce as he was now getting pissed off at Lycan. "I will never let you treat one of my friends this way! I will kick your ass for how you were making Miia feel!" Luffy shouted with rage.
"Good luck kicking my ass, unless your implying that you are also competing in the tournament. That won't help however, because I've been the champion of this tournament for 3 years running now, and today will be my 4th year." Lycan shouted back.
"your damn right I'm competing, and I will kick your ass and I'm going to beat you, You got that?!" Luffy retorted back with his anger still rising.
Lycan smirked at Luffy's confidence, he found it rather amusing. "If you want any chance at beating me, you better be strong enough to make to the final round if you wanna face me in a true fight." Lycan replied with a smug look on his face.
"I better believe that I'm making to the final round, because I will not let you get away with this and I will win!" Luffy declared.
Lycan grinned maliciously at Luffy, "very well then, see you in the final round...Straw Hat."