Disclaimer: One Piece is the property of Eiichiro Oda.
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Chapter 02: The Ghost Ship
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"So what made you come all the way out here to seek work?" a man asked, his question directed at the waiter nearby.
As the new employee was setting one of the dining room tables, the bartender sat himself down in the chair behind the drinks counter and lit himself a cigarette, blowing out a plume of smoke as he gazed over.
"Nothing much," Kuro said, cleaning the inside of a glass. "I just fancied a change. The town I came from was too noisy. Life here is far more laid back."
The bartender smiled, reaching for his glass of water. He then grumbled. On getting this job, he had thought that being the bartender would mean he would get free perks but no.
Damn, this stuff is poor. I wish I could have something stronger.
"Laid back? I suppose you're right. But you know, they call this the good half, though there's two towns on this island. But I suppose a weedy-looking thing like you'd not want to go there."
Kuro chuckled. Those second rate pirates? They were no competition. It would be a waste of his time. He knew who they were, and what all he found interesting of their uneducated selves was their modest fortune. It was too small, and they were weak. Like so many others.
"I suppose not." Kuro cleaned around the rim. "What kinds live there, anyway?"
"Ones that mean you should stay well clear. Any pirate is bad news so don't tempt fate," he was answered.
He continued to clean, tolerating what he considered to be menial work. Soon, he would be away from this place and into greater things to accomplish his plan. That barkeep was an idiot; if only he knew just who it was he was working with. He would not dare to call him such if he had the cat's claw held up against his throat. He put down the glass; there was no need to be so furious. But if ever the time came for this man had to be disposed, he knew he would take pleasure from revealing the truth behind the irony.
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Opening the door to his room, Kuro sighed and dumped the bag he was carrying on the table. The day had been long and tiring. His employers were a couple in their later years, much like Miss Kaya's family.
Kuro pushed those thoughts out his mind. It would do him no good thinking about them or their demise. Kaya had been orphaned and it had not been his fault; it had not been part of his plan. This job he held was just to tide him over till he got on his feet.
Walking up to the stairs, he doubled back across the landing and headed to his bedroom. He'd have a bath, and then finally some rest.
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"What do you mean 'it just appeared'? Something like that doesn't sail right into the wharf without being seen!"
"I don't know; it just appeared," a woman answered.
"I've heard it's haunted," a third, another man's, added.
"Pft! There's no such thing as a haunted ship! It's just an old wives tale!" the first said.
Kuro's eyes screwed up and he frowned as he lay on his bed and listened to the spectrum of voices that were gathering outside. He never had been one for heated nights. They made him uncomfortable. His heart beat uneasily, and he credited himself with enough intelligence to know that something was amiss in what was supposed to be a quiet town.
Begrudgingly, he pulled back the covers and got out of bed. His feet twitched as they touched the cold wooden planks. He then walked to the desk opposite the snatched up the white nightshirt that hung over the top. He pulled it over his head and into place, after which he took his glasses from a bedside table and pushed them up his nose. Finally, he made his way to the window, unhooked it, and flung open the shutters.
Leaning further out, he saw that another crowd had congregated further down the narrowly-arched street, torches gleaming in their hands.
"What going on?" he asked.
"A ship just washed up in the harbour," a blond replied, looking up. "No one saw it enter and some are saying that it bears the flag of The Black Cat."
I see; The Black Cat, Kuro thought. He pushed up his glasses in the usual manner. I thought I had sunk it.
"What, you mean Captain Kuro's ship?" he asked of the man, finding the whole thing amusing. "He was executed three years ago by the Marines. Good riddance, if you ask me."
Kuro pushed his glasses back up his nose; they had slipped when he'd leant to see out the window.
"In any case, what're you all doing out here?"
"We're going to search it; find out what all the commotion's about. The marines aren't here yet so some men volunteered. Fancy coming?"
Marines. He began thinking ahead.
"All right, I'll be down shortly," he said. He could not let them go by themselves.
Who knows what they might think, or what they might find.
Pulling back, he closed the shutter and bolted the window, after which he walked to the wardrobe propped against the wall. He had not expected his old ship to show up at all. The Black Cat had been scuttled and he had thought the waters surrounding the port were deep, but it seemed as if that had not been the case. It was a mistake, yes, but it was not one he was without means to correct.
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Kuro's eyes flickered around the deck of The Black Cat, the burning torchlight that surrounded him revealing the full horror of what lay upon the ship for all those who had visited her. Before his eyes were a litter of butchered bodies. Some were hung unceremoniously over the ship's side whilst others lay festering on the deck itself. The claw marks and the blood were familiar sights for Kuro, the only one who had known what to expect.
There passed by an unnoticed look of boredom on Kuro's face as people gasped, retched and fainted in horror: it was expected.
His eyes narrowed at the flapping sails and flag.
Well, they'll certainly be talking about me now, he thought.
"Hey, you're not scared, are you?" the man from earlier asked, turning around. "Relax. They're dead. They're not gonna come alive and eat us!"
"It's not them I'm frightened of," Kuro said.
Suddenly, a loud cry drew attention; a man rushed out the captain's cabin, splitting the crowd.
"This ship is cursed! It's the ghost of Captain Kuro!" he yelled. "He killed them all for defiling his ship! We're all going to die!"
Kuro watched as others stopped the man, suppressing his annoyance.
"He's right! Look at the claw marks!" another man stated. Everyone could see the grooves that had been carved into the mast, deck and rigging, even defecating some of the bodies with razor-sharp cuts. "It's like a wild animal's done this, and we all know who had that standing, don't we?"
"Captain Kuro," a third muttered. "I don't like this."
Kuro walked to the body that lay to his right, and then turned it with his foot. It was another one he did not know, so he was one of Jango's. In any case, they had served their purpose. It had been necessary for them to die. Still, if this situation got out of hand that he could very well soon find himself having to deal with some unwanted visitors. And once they came, so would attention, and that he did not want.
"I would not believe in old wives tales if I were you," he warned. "Remember that Captain Kuro was executed. Ghosts are just fabricated superstition, not worth the time of day."
He then paused as someone approached to him. The man's arm was pointing here and there at the marks gorged all over the ship
"How do you explain those?"
Pushing up his glasses, Kuro forced down the increasing rage he was feeling that his ship had not done what he had wanted it to and just sink.
"I'd say it was attacked by pirates and the crew was defeated; everyone's heard of Captain Kuro so doubtlessly it would be easy to imitate him. With a sword, maybe?" the real Kuro replied. He walked over to a dead body, picked up the sword and held it before him with an inspective gaze. "Someone's trying to play upon our fears and is using a dead man for that purpose: despicable. If you go off claiming it's the ghost of that pirate then you're giving whoever it is what he wants."
He turned, then tossed the sword aside.
"I'm going home. Ghosts are no concern of mine."
He walked across the ship and climbed the rope ladder down into a small boat.
Word of this will get out soon, Kuro thought, waiting and looking over his shoulder at his wrecked ship. But it's all right.
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"You're slow, waiter!" a man bellowed, a few days later.
The woman sitting beside her companion at the table rolled her eyes and chuckled as he slammed the tankard on the table, spilling some beer. She then checked her fingernails. They were as pristine as ever. Finally, she looked up and smiled at the waiter.
"He's slow, Buggy, but you've got to admit; he is somewhat cute," the purple-haired lady spoke, leaning on her hand.
"I don't know, Alvida. He's stringy. There's no meat on him," Buggy replied. "I thought you liked real men?"
Alvida chuckled and continued to watch Kuro, who had remained silent throughout everything.
"Let's see, shall we? Hey, you there! Do you think I'm beautiful?"
Kuro pulled on his tie, loosening it. He knew who the woman and her partner were. Who couldn't? But still, the reason for them being here got him thinking. Hopefully they were just passing through.
Smiling, Kuro straightened his tie then removed the tray from the table.
"Yes you are," he said.
He then bowed.
"Now if you would excuse me, I must leave," he said. "I have to get back to the kitchen."
Kuro pushed up his glasses with his left hand, and then turned around. He was curious why two pirates, one of whom had a high bounty, had arrived on this island. Maybe news of the wrecked ship had got out, or maybe they were here on other matters. He hoped not.
