Ch.4: Ryan and Emily, Friends or Enemies?
Disclaimer- I don't own One Piece. But I do own Emily and I sort of own Mayor Turner and Ryan (I'll explain what I mean at the end of the chapter)
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7th sun, 23rd day of green lilies
(Saturday, May 23)
The city of Nanahana doesn't seem any different from the other cities that I have been to. I guess that everybody's going to look down on me because I am a slave or I don't look or act like they do. I hoped that after beating a Marine in a contest would make me look like everyone else here, but it didn't. I guess this town only cares about how you look and act and not what you do…
- - - - - - -
The city of Nanahana lay large in front of the ship that got closer. Most of the crew was excited about getting on land, but not Emily. If it was her decision, she'd stay on the sea forever. A small handful of people were walking around the port, talking and laughing like old friends. The ship pulled into port and dropped the anchor into the ocean to stop.
Nobody in the crew wanted to stay on the ship since everyone was anxious to get on the land, but somebody had to protect the ship from thieves so they did the best, safest, and easiest thing to decide who was going to stay: Rock, paper, scissors (Zoro wouldn't let Emily play because he felt she was too young to guard the ship by herself). Usopp was the loser.
Emily insisted on walking through Nanahana by herself with a handful of money she borrowed from Nami. She was denied her request at first by Nami, Sanji, and Robin. Zoro, on the other hand, believed that twelve was old enough to walk by herself…as long as she came back to the ship a few hours later. Emily thanked him and walked off. Meanwhile…
- - - - - - - -
"Well, I'm back at the dump." A somber looking boy complained.
A young woman standing behind him signed in annoyance, "Ryan. Can't you just be a little bit happy that you're coming here."
The boy looked at the woman, "It's not like I wanted to come here. I was forced to come…again."
"I was hoping that you'd be a little bit happier to come."
"I would be happier if I wasn't forced to come."
"Ryan, didn't you say that you wanted to join the Navy?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well, you get to come here to Nanahana with the Marines to capture pirates…plus the music contest is going on again this year and I'm sure you'll win."
"Yeah whatever, Tashigi. You only want to be here because you heard that Roronoa Zoro is here and my dad made me come here with you."
The woman frowned at the sulking boy standing next to her. For being only thirteen, this kid was a real whiner. His father and her uncle, immediately shipped his son overseas with the Marines to work with his niece and capture his first pirate the second he heard Ryan say that he wanted to join the Marines. Ryan wasn't very happy to be forced to come or go to Nanahana. Being forced to do something was just something he didn't like.
Nanahana was not a place that he like being to either. The town was too small in his opinion and the people seemed pretty rude. It probably was because the townsfolk didn't much care for the Marines, but at least his name was known when he won the music contest that was held once a year. Ryan had won first place seven years in a row. But not really anybody cared because he stayed in town for a few days before returning home and never talked with anybody.
"The sign-up sheet for the music contest is inside the music shop. You remember where that is, right?" Tashigi asked her younger cousin.
"Duh." Ryan answered, walking down the empty streets.
Tashigi let out a long sigh as she watched Ryan walking alone, "I wonder how long he's going to be acting like this."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Emily walked down the streets, looking at the different shops and people of Nanahana. The shops seemed to fascinate her: the colors were like a rainbow, the buildings mashed together like the carts of the traveling circus she left three years ago, and the unusual names of the shops made her laugh. The people weren't so wonderful. All of them, especially the kids, stared at her and it began to really freak her out.
She stopped in front of a garden shop curiously to look at the flowers inside and smell the ones outside.
About 20 feet away from Emily, a blonde haired boy was walking and staring off into space. He was in such a deep trance that it only broke when he bumped into Emily and knocked both of them to the ground.
"Itai!" Emily cried out.
The boy stood up and stared down at the girl, "Watch where you're going! God, the nerve of you people!"
Emily stood up and stared into his face, "What do you mean, my people?"
"You people think you're better than me and look better, too! Well, I got news for you! I think you're one of the ugliest people here!" The boy yelled then stomped off.
"Am I…really ugly?" Emily asked herself. With the thought on her mind, Emily continued her business throughout Nanahana.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"You here for the music contest?" A tired man from behind a counter asked the boy standing in front of him.
Ryan looked at him, "Yeah that's right. Give me the application."
The man from behind the counter gave Ryan the application for the contest and pointed to a stage in the middle of town, "Fill these out, get a parent or guardian signature, and hand the application to the mayor. You got a song ready?"
Ryan took a deep breath, "Of course. I always to and that's how I always win."
The tired man yawned, "Whatever. Just go." Ryan nodded and left.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Not long after Ryan left the music store, Emily entered. She looked at everything being sold in fascination. Never before had she seen so many shiny instruments at the same time. She walked up to the man at the counter and asked, "Where are the music pieces for the flute?"
The man pointed at the end of the store and asked, "Are you picking out a piece for the music contest this afternoon?"
Emily stared in confusion, "What music contest?"
The man looked own at the green haired girl, "There is a music contest for kids between the ages of six to eighteen. You pick out a piece and play it in front of the town."
"How do I enter?" Emily asked the man.
"You take this application, fill it out, get a parent or guardian signature, and hand the applications to the mayor at the stage in the middle of town before 3:00."
"Wow…does it cost money to enter?"
"Nope. It's free. But you can get money as a prize if you win."
"I wanna enter."
"Excellent. Here is your application. All you need is a piece."
The man handed Emily the application with a smile. Emily walked to the music pieces and searched for the right songs. She grabbed three pieces: one easy, one moderate, and one hard was going to pay for them when she saw another piece that seemed just right. It was fast, full of difficult notes, and it was full of accidentals. "This one. I'm playing this one." Emily announced to the man at the counter.
The man stared at her in disbelief, "This one? Are you sure?"
Emily nodded, "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing…it's just that nobody has been able to play that song through without screwing up for almost 40 years." The man answered.
"I'll be the first then." Emily announced.
The man sighed, "All right. 700 berries is your total." Emily paid for her pieces and left.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hey! Can I get you to sign this?" Ryan asked Tashigi, holding up his application.
Tashigi nodded and added her signature to the application. "You should really be a little nicer, Ryan. Because this year somebody might actually beat you in the contest." Tashigi told the boy, handing back his application.
Ryan laughed, "Yeah right. I've won seven years in a row. Why would I lose now?" With that, he left laughing as if he told the funniest joke in the world.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Emily found Zoro outside a weapon shop with Luffy and Chopper. "Master Zoro? May I enter the music contest this afternoon?" She asked, running up to Zoro. In her mind she prayed that he'd say 'yes', and he did. After giving him a quick hug, Emily ran towards the Going Merry. Once in the ship, Emily grabbed a pen and bottle of ink that Misao had given her in Yokuna and filled out the application.
She finished and brought the paper, pen, and ink to Zoro and asked him to sign the paper. He signed the paper then looked them over. "Emily." He started, "You didn't fill out one of your questions all the way." Emily didn't say anything. "You have to put down your last name. What is it?" Zoro asked.
Emily shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I wasn't given a last name in my homes and was never told what mine was that my parents gave me."
Zoro looked at Emily and asked, "Is there a nickname for you that you liked?"
"Yes. In the circus, I was called 'Emily the Emerald'." Emily answered.
"Then we can make 'Emerald' be your last name for now. Is that okay?" Zoro asked.
Emily nodded and filled in her new last name.
Zoro look the application from her and double checked it. He handed it back to her, "Go turn in your application, Emerald Emily."
Emily nodded and ran to the middle of town.
Zoro watched Emily as she disappeared down the empty streets. "Why am I acting like this?" Zoro wondered.
"Hey Zoro. The contest is in two hours. Are you going to watch it?" Luffy asked his crew mate.
At first, Zoro was going to say 'no', but thought of how upset Emily would be if he wasn't there. He nodded.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Excuse me? Is this where we turn in our applications?" Emily asked a tall, bald man at the stage.
The man looked at the girl and nodded, "This is it. I'm Mayor Turner and I'll be judging the contest." He took the applications and scanned them, "Emerald Emily…strange name. Age twelve? You sure? You look nine…plays flute…song is…The Enchanted Savior? Are you sure?"
Emily nodded, "I can do it."
Mayor Turner shrugged, "All right. The contest starts in two hours, but try and be here a half an hour earlier with your instrument." Emily nodded and walked off.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nami walked down the streets holding a large white bag. There were no wallets in the bag, but new clothes instead. Clothes of the latest fashion and extremely expensive in Nanahana. Each step she took had another girl walking towards her until they both collided into each other. "Ouch! Watch where you're going!" Nami yelled at the girl she banged into.
"Why don't you?" The girl asked.
Nami stared at the elegantly dressed girl in front of her in anger, "You bumped into me!"
"Yeah, whatever." The girl muttered before walking passed Nami.
"God, what a bitch." Nami muttered and continued on her way.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
At 2:30, all the participants of the contest stood behind the stage with their music and instruments. It seemed as if each participant had a different instrument: guitars, pianos, flutes, xylophones, saxophones, and many more were mashed together with their owners.
Ryan looked at all the kids and stopped at Emily, "Great. Now that ugly green-haired girl is here, too."
The half hour was spent with the participants getting to know each other and tune up their instruments. Ryan spent the entire time staring at Emily with hate in his eye. The hate grew deeper when he saw a piano player walk up to Emily and ask what she'd be playing.
Emily answered and the pianist laughed, "Yeah, right. That song hasn't been played right in 40 years. Even people who practiced it for years haven't gotten close to playing it perfectly."
"I can do it." Emily told the pianist.
"Really? How many times have you practiced the song?"
"Two."
"And when did you get the piece?"
"An hour and a half ago."
"Ha! You're going to blow it big time!"
The pianist left Emily and a large crowd stood outside of the stage. Mayor Turner told the participants to get ready to play and turned to the rather large audience. The first people that were going to play were the two piano players. The first was an eight-year-old boy who was good, but got nervous and missed a note or two. The other player, Kazeo Hikimasu(the pianist that laughed at Emily) was fourteen and messed up big time.
After the pianists, the rest went in order of age. The youngest, a seven-year-old boy, went first.
Emily was in the middle of the line and so far, only two people were actually able to play their songs without messing up or getting nervous.
Mayor Turner introduced Emily to the crowd and listened to them laugh when they heard the song she'd play.
Emily put her piece on the music stand and looked into the crowd. Sure enough, the entire Straw Hat Pirates crew was there, far from the Marines.
Emily smiled, put her flute to her lips, and began to play. Each note came out perfectly, the speed was perfect, and nothing was ignored. At the end, she bowed and the crowd stared at her in disbelief. The song that hadn't been played right in 40 years had just been played by a small twelve-year-old girl. Then everyone cheered for her.
Ryan was after Emily. He forced a fake smile on his face and put his fingers on the strings of his guitar and started to play. He played the song perfectly as Emily had done with hers, but his playing was missing something: feeling. Sure everything was perfect, but what was the point of listening to a song if you couldn't feel it? He was applauded greatly by the audience when he finished and walked off the stage, giving Emily a smirk.
Once behind the stage with all the other participants, Ryan looked over at Emily and said rudely, "I'm Glory Ryan. I'm sure you've heard of me other than just a few minutes ago."
Emily shook her head, "Never heard of you before in my life." Hey, it was the truth.
"Well, I've won this contest seven years in a row…" Ryan started.
"Congratulations."
"…and I'm not going to lose this year to a little nine-year-old flutist."
"Twelve."
"What?"
"I'm not nine, I'm twelve."
"Sure you are, little girl. When you see me beat you, you're going to be crying like the little girl you are. And you won't be lying to me about your age anymore."
"I won't cry. And I'm not lying."
"Sure you aren't, kid."
With that, he walked away from Emily laughing. She couldn't believe what he said about her, but now she'd have to wait for the rest of the participants to play their songs and find out the winner. On the left side of the room was a sheet with the prizes for the best three and which place they were in:
3rd place: 500,000 berries
2nd place: 1 million berries
1st place: 10 million berries
Emily's eyes widened. 10 million berries! She'd never seen so much money before, not even 1 million berries. She closed her eyes and just imagined Mayor Turner handing her even just 1 million berries saying that all of it was hers, every single berry. But then she opened her eyes and shook off the thought. The dream seemed too far-fetched to be real.
"And now, our winners. When I call your name, please step outside to receive your prize." Mayor Turner called, "In 3rd place, the winner is Miki Mori." As soon as her name was called, the seventeen-year-old violinist walked on stage to receive her 500,000 berries and stood at the side of the stage holding her violin.
Mayor Turner turned towards the audience, "It was very hard to choose our next winners since both were excellent with their playing and came close to a tie, but nevertheless, we do have a first and second place. In second place, the winner is…Glory Ryan."
Ryan's mouth dropped. He…lost the contest he'd always won. He walked onstage with his guitar and collected his 1 million berries.
Once Ryan stood next to Miki, Mayor Turner continued his announcement, "And finally, our first place winner and owner or 10 million berries…Emerald Emily." At first Emily couldn't believe that she won and Ryan couldn't believe that he lost to Emily, but it happened. Emily quickly walked onstage with her flute. Mayor Turner handed her a blue bag with the money inside, all 10 million berries.
The crowd cheered and applauded loudly for the three winners. Mayor Turner had Miki, Ryan, and Emily stand on three steps with the places in ascending order and took a picture. The crowd was now disappearing and so was the crew of the Going Merry, probably hiding from the Marines.
Emily stepped off her step and put her flute away in its case. Carefully, she put her flute case in the bag of money and started walking from the stage with the bag carefully balanced on her back.
Guilt formed inside Ryan as he watched Emily walk alone, carrying that heavy bag. The urge to help her exploded inside of him when another boy his age shoved Emily to the ground.
"Hey! You should know that somebody like you shouldn't be far from their masters!" The boy yelled, shoving her into a mud puddle when she tried to stand. "People like you are an embarrassment to hard-working people like my father." The boy shouted at her.
"Please…leave me alone." Emily pleaded, trying to stand.
The boy shoved her down again and said, "Make me, slave!"
That was all Ryan could take. He knew that the people here were cruel, but he didn't expect a boy his age being cruel to a girl almost 1/3 his size.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Ryan yelled at the other boy.
"Why don't you come over here and make me?" the boy told Ryan.
Ryan didn't need to be told twice. Back in his hometown, he was pretty aggressive and hardly ever turned down a challenge. Ryan pulled out his wooden sword and ran after the boy.
The boy ran away after being hit five times by Ryan's sword. Ryan put his sword away and helped Emily to her feet.
"Are you okay?" Ryan asked Emily.
Emily nodded and picked up her bag, "Thank you."
Ryan looked at her, "I'm sorry about how I acted to you at the contest…and before then."
"It's okay." Emily answered.
"Hey, that bag looks pretty heavy. Would you like me to help you carry it home?" Ryan asked.
Emily hesitated for a moment, but nodded, "Okay."
Ryan grabbed one side of the bag while Emily grabbed the other and started walking. "So…you really are twelve years old?" Ryan asked Emily.
Emily looked at him and giggled, "Yes, I really am twelve."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Straw Hat Pirates minus Emily were now seated in the lounge of the Going Merry.
"She won. Emily won just like I told her to." Usopp announced.
"Liar! You didn't even know about the contest until 20 minutes before she got to play. You didn't even talk to her about it." Zoro told him.
"Hey! Let's have a huge feast in celebration of the contest. We can cook all of Emily's favorite foods!" Luffy shouted.
"Uhhh…Luffy…do you even know what her favorite foods are?" Sanji asked his captain.
"Sure, those green things." Luffy answered.
Nami let out a sigh, "Baka. We can't feed her green apples only at a feast. We need other things."
"Well, she does eat everything that we make for her, so you really shouldn't worry about it." Robin announced.
"I suppose you're right." Sanji sighed while looking through the fridge.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"My father sent me overseas with my cousin so I could train with her. He's been forcing me to do things I don't want to do my while life. That's why I'm in a bad mood." Ryan told Emily.
Emily nodded, "I know how you feel. I've always been forced to places when I don't want to."
"So, you don't live in Nanahana." Ryan asked her.
Emily shook her head, "I'm not anything like the people here."
"Hey, I gotta question for you."
"What is it?"
"Why did you play that song at the contest?"
"It seemed easy and fun. Why do you ask?"
"The man who wrote down the notes said that it was a song that only him and the Almani could play."
"Ryan, what are the Almani?"
"Didn't your parents tell you about the Almani people?"
"My parents didn't have the time to tell me stories."
"Well, the Almani people came from a forest where fairies, pixies, and other magical things lived. None of the people were allowed to leave the forest."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I guess because they were afraid of the outside world. But anyway, they allowed outsiders to visit them and always played that song because they believed it was magical."
"Really? What were so great about the Almani?"
"I'm not sure about everything, but they could grow angel wings out of their backs and fly, they could send visions into other's heads of their own past, and had secret powers that nobody but them knew about. And they were supposed to be really powerful."
"Wow."
"They were wiped out 15 years ago."
"Why?"
"People got tired of the secrets and thought that killing the Almani would let them have all the secrets to themselves, but it did no good."
"How come?"
"The Almani had a special writing that only they could understand and since they were gone, the secrets were useless."
"Oh, how sad."
"That's all I know. You'd have to read from some old legend books to find more information about them. By the way, why are you in Nanahana?"
"My group stopped here for supplies."
"What do you do?"
"I guess you could say that I'm a traveling musician. What about you?"
"I'm with the Marines."
Emily gasped. The Marines! They would kill her if they knew she was a pirate. And she wouldn't bear it if she had to do battle against Ryan, whom she just made friends with. "Ummm…I can carry my bag home the rest of the way." Emily told Ryan.
"Are you sure?" Ryan asked.
Emily nodded and put her bag over her shoulder, "Yeah. I can't bring any boys home or my…over-protective older brother will kill both of us."
"Well, okay. See ya." Ryan told her. "I'm sure we'll meet again. Good-bye." Emily told him.
Ryan headed for town while Emily headed towards the Going Merry. Once Ryan was out of sight, a hand grabbed Emily's arm and a gruff voice asked, "Were you going to bring a boy home to meet your over-protective older brother?"
"Oh, sorry Master Zoro." Emily apologized.
Zoro laughed, "That's a good one, Emily."
"I'm sorry, Master Zoro." Emily whispered.
"Huh? For what?" Zoro asked.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Ryan stopped walking and thought of Emily. She seemed scared of her older brother, so he thought he'd protect her from her brother if he was that bad. Ryan turned and ran towards Emily's direction, hoping to find his new friend. He did find her, but not they way he wanted to find her.
Emily was walking next to THE Roronoa Zoro, the man Tashigi was hunting down. They were talking and Zoro was holding her bag.
"About lying, saying that I was a traveling musician." Emily told Zoro.
"It was necessary, Emily." Zoro answered.
"Yes, but I feel bad not telling him that I am a pirate." Emily said.
Ryan had heard enough. He almost punched himself for making friends with her and apologizing about how he acted.
He quickly ran off before hearing the rest of the conversation.
"Don't worry about it." Zoro told Emily.
"But…Marines and pirates can't be friends." Emily muttered.
"That's a lie! Luffy's friend, Coby is a Marine and they're still friends." Zoro told her.
"Really?" Emily asked. Zoro nodded. "Then I don't feel too bad." Emily told him.
- - - - - - - - - -
"You're back already?" Nami asked Emily.
"And she made a new friend…with a marine." Zoro told her.
"Really?" Chopper asked Emily.
Emily nodded and put her bag in her bedroom.
Robin was sitting on her bed reading. The facts about the Almani that Ryan told her was playing repeatedly in her head and since Robin was almost always reading, she might know about them.
"Miss Robin?" Emily asked the woman.
Robin looked up from her book, at Emily, "Yes?"
"Ummm…do you know anything about the Almani people?" Emily asked.
Robin thought for a moment then shook her head, "Sorry, but I don't."
"Oh, thanks anyway." Emily said.
Robin stopped her as she began to leave the room, "But there is a bookstore in town. Maybe you can find some information on the Almani people there."
Emily nodded, "Thanks, Miss Robin."
Emily grabbed some money and stepped into the lounge. Everyone inside pretended to look busy, as if they were trying to hide something from Emily. "Master Zoro? Is it all right if I stop by the bookstore for a while?" Emily asked Zoro.
Zoro nodded, "Just be back before sunset."
Emily nodded and left for the town bookstore.
- - - - - - - - - -
Ryan growled and stomped off towards the port, looking for Emily. He was told that if he caught a true pirate and brought it to his cousin, then he'd automatically be in the Marines and have a good rank. And that would be pretty sweet for a thirteen-year-old like him. He spotted Emily standing in front of the bookstore and he immediately ran to her.
"Oh, hi Ryan." Emily said calmly.
Ryan frowned, "It's good to see you again…pirate."
Emily paused in fear.
Without saying anything else, Ryan grabbed her hand and practically drug her to his boat, where the Marines all sat. He pulled Emily out in the middle of the group.
"Ah, Ryan. Is this your new friend?" Tashigi asked her cousin.
"No, this is a pirate." Ryan announced to the Marines.
Colonel Smoker looked at Ryan, "Hey kid, I know you're in a bad mood and you hope this will get you in a good one, but this girl is not a pirate."
"Yes she is. She's Roronoa Emily." Ryan argued.
"Roronoa? Like Roronoa Zoro?" Tashigi asked.
"Yes, she's his little sister." Ryan answered.
"My last name isn't Roronoa, it's Emerald. And I'm not related to Roronoa Zoro." Emily answered calmly.
"Don't believe her. I know she's a pirate!" Ryan shouted.
Smoker sighed, "Kid, this girl is too young to be a pirate. Little nine year olds…"
"Twelve. I'm 12." Emily interrupted.
Smoker ignored her, "Are not experienced enough to be pirates."
"Besides," Tashigi said, "She's way too well behaved to be a pirate."
"You're only saying that because she looks so innocent, but she is a pirate! She really is!" Ryan cried.
"That's enough, Ryan! This little girl is not a pirate." Tashigi shouted before turning to Emily, "Little girl, we're sorry to have this happen to you."
"It's all right." Emily told her before heading towards the door.
"Do you need someone to walk you home?" Tashigi asked.
Emily shook her head, "Thanks, but I'll be fine. Good-bye."
"You see, Ryan. She was not a pirate." Smoker said to the teenage boy in front of him.
"But she was a pirate! She was!" Ryan shouted.
All the marines laughed loudly.
Ryan stomped off to his room in anger and slammed the door behind him. The laughter continued.
- - - - - - -
On her way back to the Going Merry, Emily went back to the bookstore and bought a book of old legends and ancient, magical animals and people. She couldn't wait to read the chapter of the Almani people. She stepped into the ship and gasped. On the table in the lounge sat plates and plates of food, almost like a feast.
"What?" Emily asked.
"We're having a feast!" Luffy announced, "In celebration of you winning the music contest."
"R-really?" Emily asked. The crew nodded. "Wow…thanks. Just let me drop something off in my room." Emily said. She walked off to her room and put her book on her hammock. The Almani cold wait, her crew mates couldn't.
She sat in the lounge and food started being passed around.
"So, what did you do today after the contest, Emily?" Nami asked Emily.
"I got captured by a Marine then freed because the others believed I was too innocent to be a pirate." Emily answered. The crew laughed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Okay, that's what I got so far. The reason why I sort of own Ryan is because Ryan is a real person. He is a friend of mine who wants to join the Navy. Mayor Turner is sort of mine because I'm describing my Algebra 2 teacher. And with the name "Kazeo Hikimasu", it means "I'll catch a cold" (spelled Kaze o Hikimasu) and I thought it would be perfect for a snotty girl. R/R if ya want, but don't flame me please.