Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece
The trees are frozen, the grass are frozen, but my fingers are still warm so I can type all day. Thank you CuddlyChristina.
X_X_X_X
"What?!" was all that she could ask.
Bridgetta was grabbed by her own arms. Within seconds, she felt herself pummeled by Charlotte's claws almost nonstop.
Bridgetta's starfish absorbed the punches, but she could feel her innards being pushed around like a volleyball with every punch.
"Is this starfish supposed to be your lifeforce?" Charlotte tauntingly asked.
"No. It's suppose to be my chest that used to be apart from me, now it's like my carbon skin."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. ' There probably has to be a way to damage it somehow,' she thought to herself.
It wasn't a Devil Fruit power so her seastone boots were off the table.
Thankfully, Rollka and the strange monk could probably be of some assistance. When a severed arm grabbed a spear it tried impaling into Charlotte, a slab of earth rose and blocked the spear.
The monk then said, "My name is Jio, and this is my spirit guardian Rollcka. We are both more than happy to help out."
"Really? Then this should be good." Charlotte replied. "Thanks for the save, by the way."
"Don't thank him yet!"
Before Charlotte's instincts could notice such a small aura of life, she was whacked by a spear. The force sent her flying through the air and into a ledge in the wall. Although she grabbed the ledge, it hurt like a punch to the stomach.
"I never want to do that again."
Charlotte took another deep breath, before looking down to search for Bridgetta. What she found instead was a spear hurled at her that missed but still hit the ledge causing Charlotte to fall. Hitting the ground, she briefly rubbed the back of her neck, before turning her attention to the enemy to finally deal with her.
Charlotte turned into her wolf hybrid form. While in this form, she could smell the skin of even the detached arms trying to kill her.
She growled as she clawed at the arms almost as quickly as possible, before finally reaching Bridgetta, and able to attack her with her claws.
Bridgetta finally felt what being pummeled by sharp talons feels like.
She grit her teeth as she found herself falling to the floor, looking up at Charlotte with a defeated grimace. "Fine; you win. I'll be more than happy to tell you where the forest is." she told her.
Just to prove to them the fight was over, she had her remaining servants pluck the spears out and drag them out of the throne room.
"That wasn't so bad of a fight. At least I'll be able to get information at last." Charlotte told Bridgetta as the others were freed.
Bridgetta led them through a hall, walking into a sixty-two year old tan man in golden armor. When Bridgetta approached him...she pecked him on the cheek.
"What is it, sweetie?" he asked.
"Is this your father?" Hardy asked Bridgetta.
"No, he's one of my two husbands and just happens to be my first husbands' father."
Henry felt his stomach churn, while Charlotte bluntly replied, "Interesting...So, do you have any hints or anything that might help us?"
"Don't rely on the numbers on the trees, make sure to leave breadcrumbs to lead you back to where you parked."
"Breadcrumbs? But how on earth can we pull it off? I mean, I'm not sure if we have any bread on our ship." Henry asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"It's a figure of speech, you morons. I mean do something to help lead you back to your ship while your roaming around."
Charlotte looked over at Henry and nodded. "Yeah, he's right. You've never heard of euphemisms, right?"
"Sorry about that. I had no idea what that meant." he replied.
Bridgetta led them into a map room with the only person inside being a young spiky blond hair man with golden armor cladded in him. Bridgetta slipped up to him and kissed him.
"My little golden lion, can you give your wife's associates a way into the forest, please dear?"
"Oh yeah, sure, babe." the man replied.
"Do your husbands have names?" Hardy asked.
"Yes, the older one is Daven, whereas the younger one here is Jett." Bridgetta replied. "You were saying, Jett?"
He pulled out a map from his right shoulder. He unrolled it to show a green area map with red circles.
"You will have to start here." He said pointing to a circle far away from the only grey spot in the map; city.
"Hmm..." Charlotte pondered for a moment, before Etoile added, "Is it obviously possible we get there via our boat? Or do we have to go by foot?"
"What do you think? The Strawhats didn't just walk to the forest, they got there by boat. It really undermines the thinking when I just shout the answer doesn't it?"
Etoile shrugged, while Fritz added, "Some of us can be pretty clueless sometimes..."
"Clueless?" Charlotte asked, before letting out a small chuckle. "Well, none of you better be that next time."
Henry raised his hand in the air after that he said "I'll be the one who will try to not be clueless, Charlotte."
She nodded, and asked Jett and Bridgetta, "By the way, this grey circle in particular; does it have a name? And do you have any information about it?"
"It's called Kingdom. Some islands are getting lots of eyesores of grey so why not make our kingdom at least look grey in a map." Bridgetta explained.
"Interesting name for a city...sounds like we're ready to go!" Charlotte said. The other pirates agreed with her.
Bridgetta led them to the forest with all the numbers etched in them and the unexplained bubbles.
"What are all these bubbles? As well as the numbers on those trees? Do both of them have sort of function?" Charlotte asked her.
"It's just always been there. And be sure to check your full number of the tree your near or you will get lost."
"Sounds good: we'll be sure to remind each other that." Fritz replied with a small smile.
"Don't mention it." Bridgetta said.
Bridgetta waved goodbye to a few of Charlotte's nakama while as for Charlotte herself, she got to see Bridgetta raise her middle finger and stick her tongue out at her.
"Right back at you!" she exclaimed, flipping the bird and blowing a raspberry. The ship then took off, heading towards their next destination.
The forest was as beautiful as Charlotte hoped it would be, but it was kind of boring.
Soon, the ship found a port to anchor itself at, and as the group stepped out, Charlotte was indeed impressed. "Let's see what's out there." she said to herself confidently.
The tree leafs colors were completely different from ordinary trees. Instead of a bright green, yellow-green, or even orange-red, they were more of a darker shade of blue.
Charlotte had the urge to climb them, but that seemed like a shitty idea seeing how many bubbles there were.
' Remember Bridgetta's advice,' she thought to herself. "This place is huge!" she heard Etoile exclaim.
Henry, the wimp of the crew, walked down carrying a shotgun in both his hands.
"Are you sure that there's anything lurking around?" he asked.
"I'm pretty sure there isn't anything that's threatening here." Hardy replied.
"Well, islands have all kinds of terrors because no island is pretty without a predator or a curse to it." Charlotte remarked.
"So it's best that we probably need to be careful." Fritz told her.
"My thoughts, exactly." she replied.
The day went by and so far the only dangerous thing to happen was Hardy almost falling down a trap hole.
"Nothing eventful, I guess..." Charlotte said to herself.
However, something seemed to be lurking within the forest. She was happy she could turn her ears into her wolf ears to help with her senses.
With her wolf ears, she began hearing something rather odd, which was enough to garner the others's attention.
Then, she heard three rounds of what was clearly a pistol fired at her. Luckily, she dropped to the ground and dodged the bullets at the nick of time.
Her nakama followed suit, and they were all somewhat startled yet very curious as to where the shots were coming from.
In the bushes was he short silver haired merchant/assassin Herbert with his pistol now pointed at Charlotte's skull. The gun was fired but certain death was a skewed by a monk with a shard deflecting the bullet.
"Huh...?!" Herbert asked out of shock.
Charlotte scratched the back of her neck; it seemed the monk looked familiar to her...
Then he started talking to his shard letting her know it was Jio from the kingdom with his spirit Rollica.
Herbert fired two more shots, and Jio approached two steps he used blocking the shots. Soon, Jio was up close with Herbert.
"Jio! Rollka!" Charlotte exclaimed out of bewilderment.
Clenching his fists, Jio said, "So you must be the man who attempted to murder the girl and her friends."
"I give you my consent." He replied.
Jio was completely baffled by that reply when suddenly Herbert clenched his fists and started a left jaw uppercut.
"It's you again!" Charlotte exclaimed.
After Jio took the hit, Herbert then turned his head to see her. "I knew you would say that." he told her with a grin.
"Good. Then explain to me with every breath you can muster...WHY DID YOU TRY TO KILL ME?!"
"I thought you never asked." he replied.
Jio backed away to let him talk to Charlotte face to face.
"Let's see...remember that time I attempted to kill your father?" Herbert asked.
"Of course I remember, you sicko!" Charlotte replied, clenching her fists.
"Well, what better way to get the King of the Pirates attention then killing you, his daughter."
"You wouldn't dare!" Charlotte retorted. Jio nodded in agreement, before taking out his weapon and charging right after Herbert.
Herbert's knee opened up his cannon before firing a strong burst at Jio. This projectile was stopped by a diamond-esque jewel in front of him, but the impact still pushed the young monk back.
Nevertheless, Jio regained his composure, and attempted to attack him with his staff a second time. This time, his staff strike very hard against his chin.
Herbert took the hit quite well, clutching at his jaw as he grit his teeth. At the same time, Rollcka had begun analyzing him.
"It seems he is a cyborg; part man and part machine. Although he doesn't have much augmentations, he seems to hold enough ballistics and fire power to take us out, easily."
"That's great, now can you do something about the pain he's put me through or the fear I have of bullets?" Jio said.
The staff itself rose to Jio's face and started cuddling him with its soft surface. "Awww. Is my JiJi hurt?"
"Could you please not taunt me? We're supposed to be fighting together, not bickering at each other!" a fairly annoyed Jio asked Rollcka.
Jio's body jumped when a bullet nearly shot through his toe.
He turned to notice Herbert, who just grinned as he said, "Sorry to butt in on your conversation, old man!"
"Old man? I'm in my twenties." Jio groaned.
"Meh, whatever." Herbert said, rolling his eyes. He fired another bullet, which prompted Jio to narrowly dodge it.
"Why aren't you moving any rocks!" Jio yelled.
"Because this is a forest not a building." Rollicka replied.
"I think we should help him out." Charlotte told her nakama.
"Are you sure? Except for you, none of us know this guy." Hardy told her.
"You will soon!" she replied with a grin.
Jio was panting heavily from fear and adrenaline. Even with his wild emotions, he continued to charge towards Herbert.
Suddenly, Charlotte showed up, already morphed in her wolf form, to Jio's surprise. Herbert was taken aback at her transformation, though this didn't faze him.
He fired his pistols this time at the wolf captain.
A bullet was able to nearly pierce into her skin, but Charlotte was able to charge at him. She then brought out her claws, and clawed right at him with precise speed.
Herbert felt that, fell on his bottom with the pain she gave him.
He grit his teeth as he slumped to the ground, looking right at her and asking, "How...How were you able to manifest such abilities?"
"I inherited them from the pirate king with the shortest time he spent in power. Soon, I'll be strong enough to get revenge on his greatest enemy, Donna."
Charlotte spoke this after regaining her human form. Upon hearing this, Herbert said with a sneer, "You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh, really?" Charlotte asked with a grin.
"I think it's best both of you keep you yaps shut." A voice of an unseen person suggested.
It wasn't a familiar voice, but it sounded like a bratty little girls voice. Sure enough; the four from Water 7 were reunited: Charlotte, Hardy, Herbert, and the blue haired girl whose book Charlotte ripped.
"Have I seen you before?" Charlotte asked her.
"Yes. You ripped up my book. I had that book especially penned for Herbert, and I you just ripped it up like a bully."
"Hey, you were obviously on his side, and up to no good like he is, so I had to destroy it!" Charlotte replied.
"No one is on my side. All I have for friends are cattle. But I'm not the one who should be ashamed of myself; you pirates should reimburse me."
Rolling out of the woods with a long lash of rope around his nape was Rupert the conductor, naked except for his beige loincloth between his legs.
The rest of Charlotte's nakama, and even Jio were surprised at Rupert's appearance. "How did he get here like this?" Hardy asked.
"This sadist brought me here herself. She psychotic." Rupert whined.
"Is that any way to speak to the girl who will give you power to crush the fledgling of Wolffang Razi? You're indebted to me, capeesh. By my hands, you will be a monster."
"Y-Yes...great master."
Her eyes twinkled red before she smiled malevolently. "Good boy."
With a piece of paper and a pen, she started writing things down. Whatever she wrote was stirring up great power inside Rupert. He shuddered as he was feeling the urge to see what she had written.
"But how did he go from a composer to a slave?" Etoile asked.
"His work is absolute shit. He doesn't earn any money from it, so I just saved him from a landslide of debt and depression." She spoke.
"By making him a slave?" Henry asked, dumbfounded by her statement.
"Pretty much so." she replied.
"Wow...I wonder what happened to the people that went on strike against him?" Henry added.
"They pretty much look like my slave will soon transform to. Speaking of which..."
She started using her penmanship on scrip paper. Slowly Rupert started to writhe in pain and shake his arms.
"It hurts!" he exclaimed as he fell to his knees.
"In the name of all things sacred...this girl must be a trainer of sorts!" Jio exclaimed.
What was once was Rupert skin was molding sickly green with his eyes blinking rapidly until it was entirely red in his pupils and irises.
As Rupert screamed, Hardy told Charlotte, "Do you think this girl and the merchant are working together? If they are, then we have to do away with them!"
"Let's start by going after the small one." Charlotte said.
She jumped forward ready to punch her, but she was uppercut by Rupert's newfound tree looking arm.
' Must be the girl's writing on her book that's causing him to morph drastically,' she thought to herself.
She did a spinning dodge after Rupert swung his arm in an arc at her. Remembering the sword she'd used in past fights, she slashed at him with the blade, prompting him to let out a small shriek of pain.
Charlotte trained well with the blade she obtained after her training with her uncle despite the only swordsman being Henry and him being wimpy and all.
"See if you can try and dodge another one of these!" she exclaimed, her sword striking Rupert, this time in the arm.
It seemed like this time he was screaming in agony from the cut in his arm, but after she used that penmanship his actions were more unfazed. He even let her cut deeper into his arm so he could slug her with his free one.
Despite almost dodging, Charlotte took the hit, which would be enough for one of her nakama, or perhaps Jio, to step in and help out.
Turns out she didn't need help since her feet in her wolf body could instinctively jump forward with only a touch on the ground.
"Your new monster really lacks in the decorum." Charlotte said.
The blue-haired girl scowled, before asking, "Are you trying to mock me?"
"Oh no, I think what will really be mocking is the pall people put over your coffin when you die. Or maybe the pall you use to turn this stifle into a beast is what I'm really mocking. Either way, this is all a joke to me."
"Your right." She pulled out her pen and started scribbling faster than even a teacher could write on a chalkboard. In a moment, Charlotte was entangled by a small crevice her foot fell through, but her whole body was still intact other than that one foot. "Why waste power on him when I can go after you."