Hello again my lovelies.
So as promised, there's no drama in this chapter, just some relaxation for our newly paired characters. I wanted to add a few familiar faces into the chapter, as its a little easier to write up scenes when there are multiple people around. A few people asked if Perona might appear and she might, but it won't be for a long while. I did add a little bit of cannon detail, so people have a better idea of where things are in the timeline. Hopefully everyone is OK with how I portrayed the characters I added in.
And because I like extra detail, the address below is a link to the outfit describe on Tamara later on. Just remove the space between amazon and .ca. Fanfiction does not like people trying to post website addresses on.
amazon .ca/Miusol-Womens-Sleeveless-Vintage-XX-Large/dp/B0140JVCKS?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2
So for now, onward. Shout outs will be up at the end.
The Navy ship Mihawk had liberated was quite small. But it was fully equipped to handle long journeys, with individual quarters, a fully stocked kitchen, plus a storage tank and generator for running water. Including fully operational showers. Something that was absolutely abused to the highest extent by Tamara.
Finishing up with her shower, she stepped out, reaching for the towel she'd set aside. The ship rocked slightly, making her stumble a bit. Wincing a little, she adjusted her balance, waiting for her equilibrium to kick in. Sea travel was still a little tricky for her, but so far, she hadn't suffered from any sickness, so maybe she was getting used to it.
Toweling drying her hair, she walked out into the small room she'd claimed as her own. It was simple, with a relatively comfortable bed and a wardrobe in the corner. Both were secured to the floor for obvious reasons. Curled up on the mattress was the large body of Nina. She was in her snake form, with a few spots along her body that were swollen.
Tamara smiled softly. Between Virgil and Nina, the ship was completely free of any hiding rodents. The two were quite happy to hunt down any furry stowaways and do away with them. In addition, it seemed to help her new pets bond- if a whip that ate a Devil Fruit could be called a pet. Both of them were getting along very well with each other. She figured it must be a predator thing. Plus it saved her from having to feed them, so that was a bonus.
Hanging the damp towel on the edge of the cabinet, Tamara scooped up the clothes she'd set out. Her white dress had been ruined beyond repair. Too much dirt had been ground into it to clean, the tears were too large to mend. So despite her love of the outfit, she'd been forced to throw it out. It was somewhat bittersweet, as it had been the first piece of clothing she'd technically owned after meeting Mihawk. But the ship did also have some clothing that were likely used by the Navy soldiers when they were off-duty.
Sliding on the beige Capri's, she secured the slightly too large pants with a thin belt. Pulling on a button up white tee-shirt that she'd alter to remove the Navy logo from the breast, she slide her feet into a pair of flip-flop sandals. Mihawk would harass her if she went out on deck again barefoot. As Tamara started to head out of the room, Nina stirred from her light snooze, slithering off the bed and coiling up at her hip. That was another reason she'd started to wear a belt, the Devil Fruit weapon liked to use it as a hook support.
Heading to the kitchen, she spent a few minutes puttering around. Pouring hot water through the filter, Tamara let the grounds seep. It was a comforting act, creating the brew, something familiar and simple.
She really wished all things in her life were as simple as making a pot of coffee.
Sighing, Tamara trying to brighten her mood. She was alive, that was a good thing. Mihawk was alive, that was an amazing thing. And they were together, traveling over the ocean once again. That was also a good thing. A somewhat complicated thing, but still a positive point.
"Dracule..." she thought silently, "I'm suppose to use his given name now."
That was something she was struggling with. Well, there was a lot of things she was struggling with. She was having trouble sleeping again, her dreams plaguing her almost constantly. So far, she hadn't woke up screaming, but that had more to do with Mihawk always rousing her before her night terrors got to that point. She honestly didn't know whether to be grateful that he was keeping an eye on her while she was resting, or embarrassed that she couldn't control her unconscious mind. Either way, the Shichibukai acted as a constant support, brushing away any stray tears from her face, if she happened to wake up crying.
Forcing herself back to the present, Tamara grabbed a tray and two cups, heading up onto the deck. Pushing open the door with her hip, the salty wind grabbed her damp hair and whipped it out behind her. Warm sunshine kissed her skin and she glanced up to see a few small birds flying above the sails. Smiling at the peaceful image, she started to make her way to the ship's wheel on the uppermost level.
He was standing there tall and proud, hands clenched firmly on the helm and eyes looking out over the vast cerulean waves with Yoru's cross guard gleaming in the bright sunlight. Her heart sped up just at the sight of him. Exhaling, she steeled herself and approached. His head turned towards her as she got closer. Shifting, he locked the wheel in place by pulling a lever, allowing him to step away from navigating for a time.
"Good morning, Mi Pequeña."
"Morning, Miha...Dracule." She set the items down on a table nearby that was probably used for maps and charts under normal conditions, pouring two cups of the steaming liquid and offering one to him before cocking her head slightly, "You found your hat?"
Indeed, he had the wide-brimmed fedora perched rakishly on his head, large feather waving in the wind. It was a bit confusing, seeing as in the three days they'd been at sea, he hadn't been wearing it. He took a draw from the cup, swallowing a mouthful of coffee before responding, nodding towards the stern,
"I have several. It's usually the first thing lost during a battle, so I keep a few extra."
Tamara followed his gesture, looking down onto the small one man craft anchored to the back of the ship. Now that she was paying attention, she could see a small trunk secured behind the mast. Tamara doctored her own drink, taking a mouthful before answering.
"Mmm...well good. It suits you." Mihawk tilted his head slightly, looking at her smugly. Almost able to hear his arrogant response, Tamara quickly changed the subject, "So how much longer till we get home?"
The ship shifted ever so gently, sails snapping as air caught them, but it was enough to draw his attention. Moving back to the helm, Mihawk set his drink on the railing, taking control of the wheel once more.
"We're not going to Kuraigana."
"No? How come?"
A slight turn of the helm and the marine boat veered slightly starboard. Mihawk held the ship in this position as he answered, "There are a few things we need to collect before returning. Besides that, I cannot quite stomach the idea of bringing a Marine ship back to my island."
"You could always just slice it up and let it sink offshore."
"True, but I'd always know it was there." Tamara snickered at that, the mental image of Mihawk standing on Kuraigana's shores and glaring out into the waters in disgust making her giggle.
She watched him weaved the boat wheel back and forth a few times, curiosity seizing her suddenly, "How hard is it to steer? The ship, I mean."
"See for yourself."
Tamara blinked as Mihawk moved aside, holding one of the wheel's rounded prongs with a single hand and waved at her to come forward. Now excited at the prospect, she set down her cup, dodging around the table and padding towards the helm. Hesitating for a moment, she stepped in front of the helm and grasped onto two of the handles.
He let his hand drop away and she yipped in surprise as the wheel suddenly lurched to the right, the whole ship tilting in response. Mihawk's hand was there in an instant, easily pulling the helm straight again. He was standing directly behind her, close enough that she could feel the heat from his skin radiating onto her back. Her breath caught in her throat when his voice breezed by her ear in a low purr.
"Careful beloved. It's not a horse and carriage that thinks on its own. A ship is guided by the hand of those aboard it, directed through strength and will. You need to be firm with them, less they let the currents of the ocean guide them wherever they want to go."
Flushing to the roots of her hair, Tamara felt Mihawk's toes nudge her feet, shifting her stance further apart. When he released the wheel the second time, she was better prepared. The tension that the steering device put out was resisted, but she was still a bit shocked at how much power she could feel through the helm. It vibrated in her hands and down through her body. Tamara swore as she stood in place she could almost feel the whole ship's movement, sense it gliding through the waves, cutting through the dense element in sheer defiance.
Mihawk gently grabbed one of her hands, shifting it to grab a handle lower down, "Hold it like this, you'll be able to control it better."
The two stood like that for some time, with Mihawk's fingertips ghosting over the back of her hands and occasionally up her arms, making her shiver a bit. He showed her how to adjust the ship's direction, explaining how to keep the bow straight and how to read the wind's direction by the flapping of the flag high on the mast. After a while, he fully stepped back, leaving her handling the ship on her own.
"You're a natural, Mi Pequeña. A born helmsman."
She grinned happily at the compliment, caught up in the thrill of controlling the boat, feeling it move at her command, "You'd say that even if I capsized the ship."
"Perhaps, but I'm being completely forthright, you have a talent for steering." Mihawk tilted his head slightly, walking over to the forward railing of the circular structure, looking down at the lower deck. Before Tamara could ask what was wrong, he started to walk towards the stairs.
"Where are you going?"
"There's a Den Den ringing inside. I suspect it's Shanks demanding another update."
A mild streak of panic washed over her, "I don't know where we're going."
He waved over his shoulder as he headed down the steps, "Just keep us heading straight and don't hit any rocks."
"That is not helpful!"
Mihawk didn't respond as he descended, though Tamara swore she could sense him smirking as he disappeared. Rolling her eyes to the sky, she couldn't stop the smile from crossing her lips. Glancing over again, making sure he really did go below deck, she kicked off her shoes, nudging them under the wheel. Now she could feel the ship's energy thrumming up through the soles of her feet. It was amazing, something that took over her entire body.
She felt...free. Unburdened and peaceful.
Keeping her eyes forward, Tamara didn't see the other ship approaching from behind and gliding up the port side. Not till the shadow fell across the deck. Turning her head, she arched an eyebrow at the much larger vessel that was running along side them. It looked a lot like a Marine Battleship, but the colors were wrong. The hull was dark and the sails were a deep red with an intricate gold symbol on them. Two fencing swords were crossed behind it.
Fairly certain it was a pirate ship, she reached over and pulled on the lever that locked the helm. Making sure the wheel wasn't going to turn, Tamara headed down to the lower deck, walking over to the railing closest to the new ship. Tilting her head back, she saw a tall, lean man with a large black X tattooed on his chest and a small black mask over his eyes looking down at her.
"Ahoy there, young lady!"
"Hello, Captain-san. What brings you this way?"
Tamara didn't feel at all afraid, having no issue carrying on a conversation with the man despite him being a pirate. He wore a rather odd hat, one with a white feather and a pointed tip. It reminded her of a birds beak. On someone else, it might have looked silly, but somehow this man pulled it off. A few other males appeared near the rail of the large ship, looking down, but let their commander do all the talking.
"I could ask you that question. Quite unusual to see a Marine ship manned by only one person. Did you steal it, I wonder?"
"Is it stealing if the people who were using it are all dead?"
The pirate captain appeared to smirk slightly, but it was a little hard to tell given the distance, "Maybe, did you kill them?"
"In a way, I suppose." Given that the Winter Pirate's would likely still be alive if they hadn't gotten involved with her kidnapping, and by association ended up facing off against Mihawk, she wasn't exactly lying about that fact.
Now the pirate captain really did look to be amused. Leaning forward, he glanced over the ship with greedy eyes, "That's quite a large ship for just you. Probably well stocked too. I don't suppose you'd mind us borrowing a few things, would you?"
"I would strongly advise against boarding without permission, Captain-san." Tamara faintly heard a door opening behind her.
"Oh...and why is that?"
Even if she didn't hear his steps moving towards her, the redirection of the Captain's attention, as well as the sudden exclamations of fear from his crew would have told her that Mihawk had appeared again. Waiting till he paused beside her, Tamara chirped out cheekily,
"Do you have any other stupid questions you want to ask?"
For a few moments, the man simply stared at Mihawk before he grinned wildly and looked back to her, "This one has spirit, Hawk-Eyes. I can see why you're holding onto her."
"I'm surprised you've made it this far into Paradise, Red Flag. Weren't you declared dead back on Solaria?"
"You know my name? I must be doing something right. Rumors of my demise have been greatly over-exaggerated."
"Clearly. How are you enjoy life on the other side?"
"It's never boring, I'll say that much."
Tamara leaned on the railing, listening to the two pirate banter back and forth. Mihawk didn't appear to be annoyed by the newcomers presence, tolerating the conversation. After a bit, X Drake gave a respectful nod to the Warlord.
"Never thought I'd run across you in my travels. Honestly, if we meet again on solid land, things might be different. I'd be tempted to test my metal against yours. But seeing as I happen to like my ship without holes in it..."
Drake barked out an order over his shoulder. Soon two men appeared again, grunting and carrying something heavy. Setting down whatever they were packing, Drake picked up the item with terrifying ease, flinging it between the ships to land heavily on the deck with a loud THUD!
There was a large, worn chest with a thick latch on the front now sitting a few feet away. Mihawk turned his head slightly to look at the item before returning his gaze to Drake.
"A bit of insurance, so to say. Until we meet again, Hawk-Eyes Mihawk. Good hunting."
The Supernova lifted his chin proudly, before giving the Shichibukai a crisp salute that strongly reminded her of a marine for some reason. Tamara watched the large ship turn away, heading back out to sea. Mihawk studied the departing vessel with critical eyes. She wondered briefly if he was considering simple drawing Yoru and cutting it in half.
Interested in the chest Drake had tossed over, she knelt down and pulled back the rounded lid. Blue eye widened at the small mountain of gleaming treasure inside. Gold doubloons, bars of silver and platinum, finely cut jewels, figurines carved from jade and inlayed with diamonds. It was a massive amount of wealth, Tamara had never seen so much money in one place.
"Wow, that was generous of him."
Over her head, Mihawk looked down at the horde aloofly, "Hnn...It's acceptable enough."
She ignored his haughty tone, happily picking up a beautiful black pearl necklace and standing, admiring its shine in the sunlight, "Well, I'm impressed anyway."
Mihawk moved forward, taking the expensive jewelry from her and slipped it around her throat, securing it behind her head. She touched the rounded beads gently, turning to smile softly up at him. He looked down at the necklace for a few seconds, before raising his gaze to meet hers.
Burnished auric linked with luminous cerulean, and for a few moments, everything in the world faded away to nothing. Only they existed, only they mattered.
Then Tamara felt the ship quiver through her bare feet. Mihawk sensed the change too, looking away and up towards the flag. The boat had shifted course slightly, it needed to be adjusted again. She started to move, intending to go back to the helm. The world suddenly spun wildly, weightlessness seizing her along with a large pair of hands on her hips. Then Tamara was staring down at the deck with her hair hanging in her face, and the blunt side of a Black Blade inches away from her cheek.
"What the hell! Put me down!" She thumped her fists uselessly against Mihawk's back and squirmed on his shoulder, confused and extremely annoyed as to why he'd picked her up.
"Stop taking your shoes off," came the dry reply as he started to walk.
"I swear to God, I will have Nina bite you!"
The booming laugh that followed echoed across the ships deck.
Ristan Island was an unknown location, both to him and likely to most others as well. It was small -barley a speck of a landmass- with a population to match. A balmy spring island that was in the middle of having their plum trees bloom, filling the air with a lovely, fragrance scent and delicate white petals. The beautiful, serene haven was exactly what Mihawk believed was needed for his Lady.
He'd stumbled across the island by sheer chance. Originally, he'd set course for an out of the way location called San Mirique, a place he knew and had visited a few times, well known for the unusual metallic trees that grew on it. But along the way, he'd spotted the tiny isle far in the distance, almost unseen.
Curiosity had him altering the ships course and luck had been with them. It wasn't like he was in a hurry to get somewhere, right now lounging on the Grand Line and letting the currents control their movements was quite relaxing.
The single small town on the island was very quaint, open and welcoming to anyone that stumbled onto is shores. Evidently, they hadn't experienced any forms of random violence or carnage from those sailing the sea in this day and age. Regardless, the locals had happily offered the two travellers lodging readily.
Surprisingly, the largest inn-like structure in the townsite was actually an old ship that had washed ashore over a decade ago. The people of Ristan had taken time over the years to hollow out the inside and turned it into a quite a luxurious establishment used for boarding, social events, gathering of locals and the two main restaurants for island. Despite not being a mapped island, the people did travel quite a bit, having a fairly lucrative amount of trade goods. They just never spoke much on their home. Probably a very smart move, given the dangers sailing the oceans.
He waltzed out into the small bistro that was on the prow of the beached ship, a business unoriginally named 'The Seaside Café', and a few early morning patrons lingering at the tables offered friendly greeting or a distance wave as he moved among them. He didn't offer any acknowledgments in return. While he might be able to loosen his normally stoic persona around Tamara when they were alone, in public he still needed to keep his image intact. He still had a title to defend and enemies to intimidate.
Mihawk locked onto the petite blond standing at the railing and gazing off into the sparkling waters of the bay. She was smiling softly, relaxed and happy. He was highly pleased by that, hopeful that is was a sign that she was healing. The slightly dark circles under her eyes from sporadic sleeps were troubling, but there was little he could do about that.
Taking a few moment to admire her profile highlighted in the morning sun, Mihawk walked towards her. Tamara's face suddenly changed a bit, brows furrowing and she leaned forward on the rail a bit, eyes darted back and forth over the waves of the water below.
"Something wrong, Little Thing?"
She turned to look at him before returning to studying the inlet, "No, I don't think so. I just thought I saw something under the water. But it's gone now."
Moving beside her, Mihawk looked over the small bay himself but saw nothing out of the ordinary. A few boats were leaving, some children were swimming on the beach and a school of silver fish darted near the shoreline.
"What did you see?"
Tamara shrugged, "Something...yellow. It was probably just a fish."
"Hnn..."
She started to move back to the small circular table. He reached over and pulled out her chair, waiting till she sat down before taking his seat across from her, removing Yoru and leaning her nearby. A server came by quickly, setting a black coffee before him and a frothy latte with a cute heart design on the surface in front of her. A newspaper lingered near the edge of the table, Mihawk made a note to read over it later. Right now his attention was directed elsewhere.
Tamara was wearing a form fitting sleeveless red dress with a lacy design on the bodice and a long flowing skirt. The deep color of the gown complemented her skin, making it appear flushed with a healthy glow. She still wore the black pearl necklace he'd placed on her. He made a personal note that she seemed to favor the sea jewels for the future. Mihawk leaned forward on the table a bit, bringing them slightly closer, letting his gaze flick over her attire briefly enough to admire her form in it, but not long enough to make her uncomfortable.
"I like seeing you in red, it suits you."
Tamara blushed lightly, averting her gaze to the tablecloth. She was becoming more accustomed to his compliments, not getting so embarrassed or flustered when he offered them.
"You'd like me in any color."
"I would, but I have a preference for rouge."
She looked interested at that comment, "I figured you'd like black more, you wear a lot of it. Plus, you know, Yoru's black. I sort of guess that would be your favorite color."
He honestly hadn't thought that much into it. Now that she was pointing it out, Mihawk took a moment to consider why he dressed in the dark shade he did.
"Most individuals are intimidated by black, it reminds them of death. When you face as many adversary's as I do, it can help to filter out the one with less backbone. Plus blood doesn't show up as readily on it."
"Makes sense. And you look good in it too, so that probably helps."
"Oh, really?"
Tamara flushed again, but responded surprisingly quickly, "Don't let it go to your head, you already knew that."
He stifled a chuckle, still wanting to maintain his demeanor around the locals of the island. She was still fighting back, snipping and sparring with him. It was enjoyable, pitting his wit against hers. The two fell into a short bout of silence, in which Tamara leaned back slightly, tilting her head back and looking up to the sky, admiring the plum blossoms dancing on the wind. As much as he wanted to continue to bask in the glow of her calm, saffron aura, there was a concern he wanted to address.
"Are you resting better?"
Tamara winced slightly, face darkening a bit as she picked up her cup, looking at the frothy top, "A little bit, especially lately...It's..."
She paused, swirling the contents of her drink and fading off, not finishing her statement. Mihawk choose to brush his fingertips along the back of her hand where it rested on the table, hoping the soft touch brought some measure of comfort.
"It will become easier, Little Thing. I swear to you."
"And I swear I believe you. It's helped, being here. It reminds me of Sanguine a lot. I'm glad we stopped."
"Surprisingly, I am as well. It's been some time since I've been able to relax so readily. I'll need to take an Eternal Pose with us once we leave. Speaking of which," Mihawk laid out one of the white cloth napkins on the table, pulling Kogatana from his neck and unsheathing the small blade before wiggling his fingers at Tamara, "Give me you hand."
An eyebrow was ached at him and he made an impatient grabbing motion with his free hand. Mildly confused but trusting him fully, she slipped her fingers into his palm. Gently holding each digit, Mihawk glided the sharp weapon with expert care and precision over her rounded nails, trimming each one perfectly even and smooth, till a small pile formed on the napkin.
Satisfied, he replaced the small crucifix weapon back onto his throat, neatly folding the cloth and tucked it inside his coat for safe keeping. Tamara was staring at him in bafflement.
"Are you going to explain that?"
"Later. Take this." He handed her a small piece of his Vivre Card, folded and no larger than a quarter. She took the paper, now more confused than before.
"What do I do with this?"
"Keep it on you at all times. Don't ever loose it."
Now she looked intrigued, turning over the tiny torn parchment, "Why? What is it?"
"Something that will allow me to locate you wherever you are, should I ever need to."
"I thought that's what Virgil was for."
Mihawk let a soft chuckle heard only by his Lady's ears, "Clever as that four legged crewmate might be, he's not able to track a quarry overseas yet."
Tamara blinked several times before responding, "Is that what we are now? Part of your crew? I thought you didn't want that kind of responsibility?"
Pausing in thought, he looked out over the railing to the sparkling waters. Her words held some truth. He'd never wanted a crew before, never wanted to have the lives of others dependent on him. He was a fighter, not a protector. But he could think of no other term of which to call the small group of odd balls that he now shielded under his blade. A feline with more intelligence and courage than most humans that roamed the world, a Devil Fruit weapon that had almost killed him and now protected another, and his Lady. The woman who'd done the impossible. The one who'd broken him from his solitude and wanderlust, bound him in a way no other ever had, brought light into his jaded life and through some miracle, managed to steal his heart.
"Times changes all things, I suppose. Regardless of how hard one resists it."
A small, content smile curled her lips upward, but her eyes sparked with mischief and mirth. She picked up her cup, taking a sip before snipping back.
"I'm still trying to get used to using your first name, don't expect me to start calling you Captain."
It took significantly more effort than he would ever admit to stifle the laughter that bubble up in his chest.
"It will take four days to make the Vivre Card. I'll need to send out a News Coo to deliver the samples to an alchemist on one of the nearby islands. It shouldn't be difficult, I've arrange this a few times."
Mihawk nodded and handed over the nail clippings, along with a rather generous amount of gold. The elder gentleman of the shop looked at the payment in shock.
"Sir, this is far too much, I couldn't possible..."
"You can, and you will. You are performing an unusual service and I wish to compensate you for it."
The shopkeeper stuttered a little, but relented under Mihawk steely gaze, "V-very well. If you insist," The bag of wealth was slide under the counter and he took the clippings, carefully placing them in a plain envelope, sealing the top, "I'll contact you once the Coo returns. Thank you for your business, Sir. If I can help you with anything else, please don't hesitant to ask."
Pausing in thought, he inquired with genuine curiosity, "I have a taste for premium vintages. If you are collecting good from off shores, have you access to some of these?"
Roughly an hour later, Mihawk finally exited the small shop, highly please with the exchange. The elder man was surprisingly knowledgeable and had fingers in numerous dealings. He left with a canvas bag holding two bottles of very fine wine, looking forward to sharing one with Tamara this evening. As he started to head back towards his lodging, there was a number of excited conversations among the locals that drew his attention.
"Did you see that strange ship they came in?"
"I know, its so bright!"
"Are they pirates?"
"Maybe. Did you see the bear they came with? Do you think its a pet?"
"Let's go to the bay! I wanna see it!"
Tilting an ear towards the babble, he continued onwards. But his trip was delayed by the appearance of a new person. One that drew a lot of attention, both from the locals as another off shore visitor and from his chosen apparel. The young man was tall and slim, wearing a dark spotted white fur hat along with a yellow hoodie emblazoned with an unusual Jolly Roger symbol. Carried casually over his shoulder was a nodachi with an oblong guard.
"Well, well. You're the last person I expected to meet way out here. Not everyday you come face to face with a Shichibukai. Quite the vacation spot you've got here, Hawk-Eyes-ya."
Shifting his gaze to Trafalgar Law, he stared with unblinking, merciless eyes. Despite the cold glare, the Heart Captain continued to smile casually with his head tilted to the side slightly and one hand tucked in his pocket.
"It is indeed, and not one I'm open to sharing."
Law chuckled lightly, smile climbing higher, "Well now that's just selfish of you. Sharing is caring, after all."
The sarcastic tone of the rookies voice irked him. Mihawk seriously debated ending him for a moment, but pushed the irritation away. 'The Surgeon of Death' was still a rookie, youthful and filled with brass. Before he could respond, Law's lifted the large blade he held, tapping it against his shoulder.
"Now I'm curious if your reputation is a warranted as everyone seems to claim. Plus this island is nice, I wouldn't mind claiming it for myself."
"Careful what you bite into boy, you'll find it difficult to swallow."
Trafalgar smirked with lazy confidence, shifting his weapon down and gripping the handle, "I think I can handle it."
A brash individual indeed, but one without fear. He could have some merit. The was a sudden flurry of motion and three other oddly clad individuals strutted into sight. Two were human, one with thick sunglasses and the other with a hat pulled low over his eyes. Then there was the large Polar Bear Mink. Each one was dressed in a strange one piece jumpsuit-like outfit. Subtlety was clearly not in this crews vocabulary.
"Captain!?"
"Holy Crap! That's a Warlord!"
"Eeeekkk!"
The crews reactions were comical, dramatic and mostly expected. What wasn't expected was the appearance of Tamara, who calmly walked out from behind the large Zou native. She paused on the outskirts with the crowd that had gathered around to view the exchange, tilting her head in question at him.
Law turned towards his crew, "Calm down, I'll handle this."
With the rookie's attention diverted, Mihawk stepped towards his Lady. Which caused the other three members of the Heart Pirates to scramble away frantically, still babbling nonsense. He ignored them, moving closer to Tamara. She stayed in place, angling her pretty face up to meet his gaze.
"Another one?"
"They're always around."
She smirked a bit, holding out a hand to take the bag he held. Before he moved away, Mihawk reached up and removed his hat, placing the item on her head. The wide brimmed fedora fell to her eyebrows, far to large for her. Tamara shook her head for a second before pushing the item back so she could see, looking at him in confusion. He said nothing, stepping away and turned to face the Supernova once again. The North Blue pirate watched the exchange passively, eyes briefly skimming over Tamara. The message was clear, an unspoken rule among all who chose to fly the Jolly Roger.
'She is Mine'
Mihawk pulled Kogatana from his neck, waiting to see Law's reaction. As expected, the cocky youngster eyed the small blade with disdain.
"Is that some kind of joke?"
"Presuming you have enough skill to defend yourself against this blade, I'll see if you're worthy enough to warrant using more. Doubtful, but I've been surprised before."
Law unsheathed the nodachi, still smiling in an almost creepy fashion, "Is that so? Well, I'll try not to disappoint."
Without another word, the young swordsman leapt forward, using the longer blade to his advantage and striking from further away. Mihawk easily parried the first hit, deflecting the blow and gracefully spun around, taking half a step before sweeping out a foot and catching Law's ankle. The rookie stumbled, surprised by Mihawk's speed and strength, but managed to catch himself before his balance was knocked too far askew. He jumped back, putting distance between them and his free hand flexed slightly.
"ROOM."
A blue sphere of light formed under Law's palm, expanding out to cover the area they were fighting in. The crowd moved back, staying out of the odd colored space and murmured loudly in shock. Mihawk didn't react at all, simply waiting for the pirate to attack again. This time, Law slashed the air from a distance, sending several long range cuts towards him. Blurring around the attacks, Mihawk moved to close the space between them. Only for Law to wriggle his tattooed digits again,
"Shambles."
Law suddenly change positions, vanishing and reappearing elsewhere. He was crouched right in front of Mihawk, his blade prepped for a powerful attack across his midriff. Swift reflexes let him knock aside the strike that would have sliced him in half, but Trafalgar was skilled enough to pivot his weapon, managing to bring the cut through his wrist. Completely through.
As Mihawk's hand fell to the ground, still gripping Kogatana, he leaned his head back casually, feeling the cursed blade skim past his cheek, taking a few stands of hair with it as it sang through the air. Jumping back again, he looked at the stump of his arm curiously. There was no pain or blood. In fact, he could still feel his hand and Kogatana, who was vibrating in rage at the insult.
"Quite an interesting Devil Fruit you have."
Law looked smug, teeth showing as he grinned, "It has its perks."
"Indeed. You have potential, more so than many I've faced." Reaching behind him, Mihawk pulled Yoru forward, showing the massive blade to the rookie, "Let's see how much, shall we."
"Thought you'd never ask."
Law lunged forward. Though the boy was very talented, he was still green and arrogant. Mihawk kicked off, meeting the youngsters attack and swung Yoru fiercely with enough power and force to easily disarm the Supernova, sending his weapon flying out of the Room he'd created. Before Law could recover or use his Devil Fruit ability, Mihawk drove a foot into his chest, one coated with Armament Haki for good measure. It had the desired effect, slamming into Law with the force of a sledgehammer, likely cracking a few ribs and causing blood to fly from his mouth. The crowd had to suddenly scramble out of the way as the young man shot through the air and burst through the wall of a nearby house. Immediately the blue Room vanished.
Walking calmly towards the fallen pirate, who shook his head, grunting as he sat up covered in dirt and scraps. Mihawk looked down at him coldly, bringing Yoru forward so her curved tip was hovering right before his face and waited. It took a few heartbeats, but Law finally relented with a sigh.
"I yield."
"Smart lad." Pulling his partner back, he tilted his head at the Captain, "You have talent, a great deal of it. It would be a shame to see you not develop it. What is your name boy?"
"Trafalgar Water Law."
"I'll remember it. Now, if you would be so kind as to reattach my hand."
The evening saw quite the festival held on Ristan. Evidently the locals weren't used to such excitement, so had chosen to a throw a party in celebration. Mihawk found himself quite impressed with Trafalgar Law. The boy was smart, attempting to gather as much information from the Warlord as he could. Tamara was fascinated with the Polar Bear Mink and the fact that he could talk.
Music and laughter were abound, a large fire was roasting a spit of meat and the beach was lit with several tikki torches. The Heart Pirates had relaxed enough to not scream every time he looked at them, but were still on edge. Law didn't share their skittishness, happily sitting next to him and chatting away.
"So the Navy really doesn't bother you as a Shichibukai?"
Mihawk took a sip from his glass, savoring the rich flavor of dark cherry and licorice. It was a very fine vintage, full bodied and holding hints of smoke. Swallowing contently, he answered honestly.
"For the most part. It's a suitable arrangement, though one I suspect won't last forever. There are many in the Government that oppose the Warlord system fiercely, claiming that pirates can never be trusted and the likes."
"Heh...they're not wrong." Law looked intrigued, thinking silently to himself.
He only hummed in response, attention diverted as Tamara skipped over to them, smiling broadly as she chirped in her musical voice, "Your navigator is so cute, where'd you find him?"
"Bepo? He's been part of my crew for a long time."
Tamara sat down on the other side of Mihawk, picking up her own glass and watching the party with sparkling eyes. He saw Law glance over the petite blond curiously, tamping down the urge to growl possessively. Tamara was a young, attractive woman and Trafalgar was much closer to her age than he was. But the interest was fleeting, his respect for the Warlord far exceeding any desire to challenge his claim on the female.
Mihawk's attention was picked up by a new sound, the distance flapping of wings. Turning his attention, he almost arched an eyebrow at the small, dark creature grinning with sharp teeth and fluttering behind him. It held a sealed envelope with a wax impression of the World Government. Shifting, he took the note the Carrier Bat held, ignoring it as it flew off. Both Law and Tamara looked interested as he opened the letter, skimming the contents. Without a word, he tucked the parchment into his coat, picking up his wine glass again.
"What was that about?"
The blunt, point blank question was expected, but that didn't lessen the irritation it caused. Another Shichibukai with less discipline might have punished the rookie for nosing into business that wasn't his. Sliding his gaze to Trafalgar, Mihawk hardened his tone a bit, "You should learn to restraint yourself, your recklessness is going to get you into trouble, boy."
Law shrugged casually, "It already has. So what's news is World Government sending you?"
It was going to be common knowledge soon enough, the Marines could only censor so much from the public. So he didn't see any harm in given the rookie a slight handout. He was feeling generous lately.
"Desert King Sir Crocodile has been defeated in Alabasta. His Shichibukai title has been revoked."
Tamara squeaked softly and Law jerked in shock, almost dropping his drink, "What!? Seriously!? Who took him down?"
"Officially, he was defeated by the Marine Captain, White Hunter Smoker."
"And unofficially?"
Mihawk took another long drag from his glass, not answering for some time. Law looked to be ready to demand a response, but held his tongue, probably sensing that attempting to push the Warlord would not end well.
"Nothing is ever considered fully truthful when dealing with the World Government, but supposedly a number of Alabasta citizens are claiming that Straw Hat Luffy and his crew had a hand in the incident."
Tamara hummed in interest, getting involved in the conversation, "I've heard of them, they're getting quite the reputation. You have some stiff competition, Law-san."
"So it seems. Does this mean there's an opening for new Warlord?"
"Most likely." Tilting his head towards the rookie, Mihawk realized why Law was pushing so much for information the system. Impressive for one so young, "If you wish to petition for a place among the Shichibukai, you will need to make a much larger impression on the Navy than you currently have. However...should you manage that, you may find that I give a bit of support towards your induction."
Law grinned broadly, staring off at the party-goers still happily celebrating and said nothing in return. Mihawk smirked secretly, making a note to keep an eye on the young man. He was defiantly someone of interest.
So I hope that helps to sooth everybody for a while. We got a few looks into some travelling rookies. And Mihawk's trying a new trick to get Tamara to wear shoes. Just an FYI: Its not going to work, she hates shoes. XD XD XD
Law is by far my favorite Supernova, always has been. I wanted to add him into the story somehow and I hope I portrayed him right. I've read a lot of awesome fanfics that have his personality written differently, so I hope everyone is OK with how I did it. I figured it was kinda cool, having Law considering his position in the Shichibukai for a long time before he took the position pre time-skip. And it was neat that Mihawk was the one who kinda gave him the idea. Plus, I can kinda see Mihawk keeping an eye on interesting people he meets, possibly seeing some rival in some. I'm sure Zoro isn't the only rookie that Mihawk paid attention to.
Anyway, I'm debating whether or not to do one more chapter of fluff, possible with Law and the Heart Pirates sticking around for another chapter, before going onto the next plot point. If some of my readers want to leave some comments or PM some suggestions, I'm open to that. Feel free to send me some criticism, I love improving myself.
But for now, onto shout outs.
Cookie-koko: I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your review, it made my day.
Nevermorea: I had the idea of Nina becoming Tamara's new weapon ever since her dagger got left behind in her room. It made sense to me for that to happen as she will never be a hugely monstrous fighter, so having a weapon that thinks on its own is a huge benefit. Never considered the Kirara aspect, to me Virgil is already a hero so he don't need no upgrade. XD
Love Stories00: I had hoped I put enough subtle hints in previous chapters to make people somewhat sympathetic towards Nina. Poor thing. Glad you are liking the fluff, hopefully this chapter keeps you satisfied.
Guest: Hey guys, thanks again for the reviews. Happy to have you along for the ride.
TheComprehensiveJellyfish: I seem to have re-found my muse, so I should be good to keep going for a while. Thanks for sticking around, I love seeing your comments. XD
Mystery56: You appear to be a new follower, welcome to the story. Thanks for your review, always happy to see a fresh face around.
La: Don't worry about your English, I am just happy your enjoying my writing. Thanks so much for your review. XD
Tnancemst22: As always, your support is greatly appreciated. Sending you virtual hugs all day long. XD