Chapter 27:: Finding More
The island was called Rozentuin*. It was small, but had huge docks were ships of all sizes were bobbing silently on the waves. The port itself was crowded with pedestrian, traders and tourists, bustling through to get what they needed done done.
The streets were crammed with people and venders, trying to sell us stuff we really don't need (Luffy insisted that we defiantly need a pet turtle- 'scuse me tortoise- that could do a backflip). Even with the crowds, the place had a certain charm to it. Cobblestone roads with gas lanterns, three story buildings crammed next to each other with the occasional ally, the smell of food and spices wafted to the air,. Mixing with the salty sea breeze and the roses the island was also famous for.
We had five days here, so we decided to just relax once more before we had to go. But when Nami found out there was also a Marine base stationed here, she decided to have us get the supplies first so if we are found out before the Log sets then all we have to do is go into hiding and not worrying about being spot while repacking. She also found out we'll defiantly need to stock up since the next island, Water 7 was a good month's away.
"We can finally get the ship repaired!" Usopp yelled happily. This island didn't have very good shipwrights.
"We can get a shipwright even!" Luffy exclaimed through a mouthful of meat.
"Yeah! We can have another crew member!" Chopper smiled.
"We'll have nine then. Oi Luffy, you said you wanted ten, right?" I asked as I sipped my apple juice.
The eight of us were crowded at a table in a small, but highly rated restaurant. It was one of those family businesses with its own personal charm, one that attracted customers not only for the food but for the atmosphere in all.
"Uh-huh. Ten." He gnawed on the tender meat.
"Then two more and your crew will be complete."
We split into groups after that. The idiot trio wanted to go together, Sanji was using Zoro as a pack mule and Nami and Robin wanted to go . . . girly shopping. They offered me to come along but I declined. I have some business I wanted to get to.
Four days. If Sabo left right when the Log Pose set then I was four days too late. Yet it never hurt to check. I went to different inns, asking about a boy-no, man- with blonde hair and a top hat with a missing tooth. Each time they shook their head. I asked some local fisherman, busy vendors, small shops and barkeepers. I tried drawing a picture of him but it turned out as a banana with a top hat and cane having tea with Charlie Sheen. Not exactly what my brother looks like . . .
Finally, I got a lead.
"Yeah I saw him. Round eyes and missing tooth, right? He also had a coat with tails, the sleeves rolled up and all," a bar tender said, scrubbing the polished wood with a filthy rag.
"Oh you did! When did you see him?" my back straightened and my heavy head left my palm.
"He came in here three days ago for a drink. He ordered the strongest sake here and just drank silently in that stool over there." He pointed to an empty stool at the end of the bar, its leathery seat cracked and worn.
"Did he say anything?"
"Yeah. He told me that he was headed to St Poplar for a mission from his boss."
"Boss?" I asked.
"He didn't really tell me much about himself, but I do know he's a great fighter and handles money well."
He and Nami would get along swimmingly.
"Do you know where he might be now?"
"No, but he did mention staying at an inn outside of town. I know someone that works there. Here." He disappeared behind the moth-eaten curtain and came back a second later with a paper and quill. He scribbled a note and rolled it up, handing it to me when he was done.
"There are three inns outside of Rosentuin. My friend works at the inn called Rudy's Castle. It's a small place just southwest of where we are now and he'll be happy to help you in your search," he ran a hand through his grubby beard.
"Thank you so much!" I said, taking his calloused hand and shaking it vigorously.
"No problem. Anything to help a young lady like yourself. Might I ask what the connection between you and this man is?" He asked as I got up to leave, putting some extra Beli on the counter
"He's my brother. I thought he was dead for seven years but I guess I was wrong," I said, pushing the wooden doors open and trudged out
"Wait miss! You gave me too much! It's my treat anyway," he waved the extra money.
"Keep it. Buy yourself a new pair of shoes." I said.
Sabo had indeed been staying at Rudy's Castle, but left just this morning.
"I'm sorry," a young man with skin the color of fresh ground coffee said, rubbing my shoulder sympathetically.
"It's alright." The bartender's friend smiled sadly.
I missed him. By a few hours even! God this was frustrating.
"How far is St Poplar?" I asked.
"It's a good two week if the winds are in your favor. Three if it's bad," He explained.
"Okay. Thank you!"
I trudged through the half full cobblestone street, the sunny sky slowly disappearing behind an array of grey clouds. The temperatures dropped and I was grateful I had brought my jacket with me.
I will tell Luffy. I can't keep this a secret for long, and I don't even know why I did in the first place. We will head for St Poplar instead of Water 7 to find Sabo before it's too late. A shipwright can hold, but right now we needed to get to him as soon as we can.
I sighed, shoulders slumped in defeat. I'll tell him next time I see him. Alone.
A loud crash and different levels of screams came from the turn ahead.
"Hm?" I looked up to see a wagon of hay and chickens get blasted into the street from the left. People scurried out of the way as a man came barreling down the street and straight into me.
"Oi watch it!" The larger figure rammed into my smaller frame.
"You're the one who ran into me!" he rubbed the spot on his chest where my face ran into.
We looked up, our eyes meeting. Grins replaced the grumbles as we flung our arms around each other, yelling out our names.
"Rhythm!"
"Ace!"
His 6 foot one form wrapped around my 5 foot 5 one into a large bear hug as he swung me around.
"You've grown! Oh God it's been years and your still short!"
"Shut up!" I swiped at his hat.
"There he is!" We stopped and a line of Marines were pointing their weapons at us. Huh. Note to self: never embrace a relative you haven't seen in a long time while their being chased by Marines. You can get caught up in the moment and not realize you're completely surrounded until it's too late.
"Ooh! A fight!" I gripped the hilt of Chōwa no Warai.
"Wait, I got a better idea." He held his arm out. Then grabbed me and-
"Run!" We dodged out of the marines reach, bullets sipping through Ace harmlessly and others rebounded off of me from the sound waves I placed around me for protection.
Once we were far away from the Marine's we collapsed on the ground and laughed.
"Oh man just like old time, huh little sis!" Ace slapped my back
"Haha yeah- don't ever do that again," I whacked him in the head.
"Ow you used Haki didn't you?" He rubbed the sore spot on his head.
"And what if I did?"
"I'll have to do this." He wrestled me down to the ground and attempted to give me a Wet Willie.
"Dude! Not cool!"
We wrestled a bit in the alley, ending with us splayed on the dirty ground out of breath.
"Oh man it's great to see you!" Ace sat up and put his hat back over his head.
"Oh shit man I know! Damn Luffy'll be so happy to know you're here!"
"Luffy's here?" His eyes widen and his grin got even bigger.
"Yeah I'm part of his crew now."
"Really? I thought you'd want to be a captain like us," Ace said standing up and offered his hand to help me up. I took it.
"Technically I am a captain in my own way. But I always told you guys I'm happy being just a pirate musician."
"Oh yeah. That usually had us arguing over whose musician you'd be," he mused.
"No one won that argument," I laughed at the memory, "We should find Luffy."
"That'd be great!"
Before either of us could set out there was a loud twang in the distance, followed by a familiar whoops coming from a distance, getting closer and louder. (AN: lolz Dopler Effect. Sheldon you're so funny).
We slowly turned in the direction of the approaching yells, eyes wide and face blue. Oh. Fuck. No.
My little rubbery brother landed somehow on both of us, slamming us to the ground with imprints and all.
"Luffy you dumbass! That hurt!" I hissed, pulling my face from the ground.
"Shishishi sorry!" He stood up and brushed himself down.
"You used Haki to make sure I was hit too!" Ace yelled.
"Yes, yes I did," plopped my hat back onto my head and fixed the overlarge black and white pin-striped button up and pulled down my cut off shorts, making sure they weren't riding up and tapped the toes of my scuffed up combat boots on the ground.
"Ace!" Luffy glomped Ace and sent them both back to the ground.
"Luffy! How you doing?"
"Ace I'm great! We just came back from an awesome adventure. We saved Alabasta and went to the sky!"
"Wait what?"
"We'll tell you," I laughed at Luffy's childish excitement.
We were having drinks in a nearby bar, the same one I happened to get the info about Sabo. Luffy told Ace what he had been up to since they met up in Alabasta, and when I came into the story I helped explain our most recent adventures.
Being with my brothers again made the whole Sabo thing slip my mind. I was going to tell them, but after a series of events involving the Marines, a burning whore house and a runaway cow I never could state my discovery.
"I'm only here briefly. My Log Poe is set and Blackbeard's not here, so I have to go now." Ace hugged us and ran off, only the lone cow that was set loose broke his even run as it crossed his path.
"I'm going back," Luffy stretched and yawned. He turned and started heading towards the ship.
"Tell them I'll be back later. I just want to take a walk," I said. I looked up into the dark sky. It was around nine now, the thick clouds were obscuring the stars and moon. The temperature had dropped and now it was ranging in the low 60 F. A strong sea breeze whipped by through the empty cobblestone road.
He nodded, turning and running off, "Later! Don't stay out too late!" He waved.
I smiled slightly and tucked my freezing hands into my pocket, trudging off to find . . . well, something.
A fog rolled in making it harder to see. I was half tempted to put on the goggles around my neck, but then I realized that would make it worst. I trekked through the dark streets, only passing a few people as they left lingering looks towards me. I somehow managed to get lost in the bad part of town, with the weirdos coming out and stuff. I passed a couple hookers, wrinkled in all the wrong places and wearing skin tight way to short dresses and smoking. Their glazed eyes raked up and down my young frame. Ooh they jelly.
The cold was really starting to get to me, and a thin shirt, shorts and a hoodie was not the best attire for some 50 F.
I huffed as I strode into the first bar I saw. It was a dingy place called The Smoke with creaky floors and furniture and smokey air. Only eight people, excluding the bartender and entertainer, sat in there.
Three were hooded, huddled in a corner and talking in low voices. A woman in a blue muumuu sat at the bar smoking a pipe and five seats to her left was an old man swirling his shot glass as he stared down with a blank face, as though the alcohol was hypnotizing him. Two were junkies, sitting in a table with blood-shot eyes. One of them was clutching the table and the other was drooling slightly. The last was a man with a tankard of sake, sipping silently and minding his own business.
The singer was a middle-aged woman wearing a sparkling red dress missing some sequences. The dress was tearing at the seams as she waved her white gloved hands above her greying curly black hair piled above her head. She wore too much make-up and her voice was smokey, as though her lungs had endured too many years filled with nicotine. I noticed under the make-up and ripping dress, she was beautiful. Or used to be that is. She sang a slow jazz tune, her crackling voice missing certain notes.
"A sake please," I sighed as I slid into a barstool.
The bartender placed a bottle of sake in front of me, cap popped off. I don't really drink alcohol like this, sticking to mixed drinks and other party pick-me-ups. The sake burned slightly as it slid down my throat, a familiar feeling alcohol usually brings.
"Ah excuse me," I waved the bartender over.
"Yes?" He said softly. The bar was completely silent, except for the singers cracking voice and the soft whispers of the cult in the corner, joined with the soft thunks the glasses made when they hit the table. The aura of this small bar emanated silence. And I enjoyed that.
"Do you have any sort of drink with apples in it?" I asked.
The young man at the other side of the bar jerked.
"I have a wine with a shot of apple juice, how's that?" he asked.
"I'll try it," I shrugged.
"Delilah?" I jerked up and pivoted my head to whoever called my "name".
"Sano?" my face split into a grin.
"Delilah!" he practically ran over and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.
"Aw man Sano! It feels like forever!"
"It was only a couple weeks," he laughed softly as he kissed the crown of my head.
We sat down and talked. That's what we did whenever we were together. We chattered over what happened in the twelve days we were apart. He laughed when I told him what I did to Sapphire.
"Only you," he said between soft chuckles.
I really had missed him. His soft hair with the adorable little curl at the back of his neck, smooth tan skin with dark eyes to contrast and a heart-warming smile that made me want to melt and hug his legs. He really is a sweet guy, someone who I could trust and be with without not smiling
"You were chasing Ace?" I asked in surprise.
He nodded, "Yeah. Funny huh? I got the orders from headquarters that Fire-Fist was out and about again. So I was ordered to chase him."
"Oh wow, no wonder why he was in a rush to leave," I snorted into my apple-spiked wine.
"You saw him? When?" His eyes were completely round with shock.
"Earlier today. Sorry you missed him. I dunno where he's headed." I swirled my drink.
"Damn it," he cursed.
I laughed at his suffering. "Oh chill, Rear Admiral. You still have time."
"Hey I have a question. Who's side are you taking on this, mine or his?" he was serious at that moment.
"What?" I cocked my head to the side.
"This damn wild goose chase. If you had to choose, who would it be? Me or Ace?" His eyes met mine, dark brown into deep violet.
"Sorry lover boy but I'd have to choose Ace."
"Even if you had to kill me to protect your nakama?" He asked.
I paused, "What brought all this up?"
"Just answer the question.
"I'm not going to because I would never hurt you or any of my nakama, okay? Get that through your thick skull," I cupped his face and smiled.
(AN: The most epic FORESHADOWING ever . . . yeah haven't heard that in a while).
He met my smile with his own. I admit it; I really do love this bastard Marine. His calloused hand held mine and pulled me closer into and embrace. I snuggled into his chest, loving the warmth.
"You're cute when you're cold," he said, laughing softly.
"You think I'm cute when I fart," I frowned.
"Because you are! It's just something about your pink nose and chattering teeth that sets me off.
"Turns you on?" I pulled back and arched my eyebrow.
"Pft ri~ght." He waved his hand.
"What's that supposed to mean!" I gasped.
"You drive me crazy."
"That's one of the cheesiest pick-up lines in the book."
"Oh here's a good one-"
"I don't wanna here it," I stood up and rummaged my pockets.
"Hey where are you going?" he looked like a lost puppy with that face. Damn that fucker . . .
"I need to get back. It's late and Nami's probably gunna want to drag me shopping tomorrow." I put my money by my empty glass and waved bye to the bartender. Sano followed suit.
The damn night got even colder. I cursed under my breath as Sano caught up to me.
"Hey you're at the docks, right?" He asked.
"Yeah why?" The cold was really getting on my nerves as I sniffed up some wet mucus. Urg.
"It's all the way across town and it's too late to be traveling that far. You can crash at my place instead," he pointed out, "Someplace on the land, not drafty, closer than the docks and you can sleep in me warm embrace."
"Aw thanks! But I don't want them to worry-"
He grabbed my wrists and pulled me into his chest, bending down to whisper into my ear.
"I can show you why they call me rear admiral," he whispered seductively. Was it me or did the temperature rise a bit?
"You dirty, dirty freak," I laughed and pushed him away, heart racing in my chest making it harder to breathe. My breaths came out in clouds of white fog.
"You're the real pervert if you actually got it," he grinned. He smiles so much. And I love it.
I paused and thought about it for a second. Lose my non-existent virginity in a hotel with Sano now . . . or walk some long distance in the cold to sleep on the floor in a drafty pirate ship.
"Let's roll."
Rosentuin- Dutch for 'Rose garden'
