5. Why water?
H20 won't make you drunk… Drink them.
"This is just a small town in a small island. There's no marines within sight. But this is not the ticket for you guys to put your guard down and be careless. I don't want previous incident to happen again, got it?"
Shivered, the entire crew nodded enthusiastically upon eye contact with their beloved captain. Docked at the side of the island the town held upon their eyes looked inviting. It looks peaceful, and safe for normal pirate's activities whenever they dock but they knew better to not let themselves fall for the trick twice. Asa Midori looked exactly the same, except the numbers of people roaming around and busy body gawking at their submarine lesser than this town but looked where it led to? The crew being kidnapped and almost sacrificed for the purpose of youth and strength.
"And make use of your time to get whatever you need. We'll depart first thing in the morning tomorrow once the log pose is set."
"Yes captain!" Their voice chorused.
"So, are we staying in a hotel tonight?" Penguin asked.
"The submarine is your hotel."
The pirates sighed, accepting Law's decision even though they prefer comfortable bed compared to theirs, which with every lay comes with creaks and pushes from the spring.
"Are we done?" Mirra pushed herself from leaning against the railing, and took steps toward Law. She had her weapons strapped around her, and she looked more than eager to set foot into the town.
Make sense. Spending days if not weeks on sea is boring. Someone is bound to get crazy if they don't get some break.
"Everyone is going out for a while. You might want to get back a little bit later. They'll probably at least be out for the whole day."
"Why? Can't I just get back early if I want to?"
"The door is lock."
"Huh? The door?" Confused, Mirra pointed a finger to the said entrance door.
"Nobody's in the sub. Had to lock it so no one will break in. My crew has the key to unlock it but naturally, you don't."
"And the hatch?" Mirra pointed the same finger to the direction of where the hatch is, slightly tilting her head.
"We have set it to be unlocked only from inside before we go out. You have no ways to get in."
"I see. So what about dinner? You guys will be eating out?"
"They'll find their own." Said Law. He watched as the female looked away mumbling something like 'that's fine by me' and 'fun'.
"So what's your plan in this town?" Law broke her mumble.
"Look around, eat something, buy something, and get back here after sunset, I guess?"
"And you're still sailing with us and not taking this as a drop off point?" Law cocked an eyebrow.
"Here? In nowhere?" Mirra twirled her finger in circular motion to the island. "At least drop me in somewhere livelier and well-known island."
"Hmph... I take it you realize not to cause any trouble in this town while we docked? We don't need any unwanted attention so stay out of it if you still want to keep sailing with us." Law reprimanded. And she frowned.
"Sure sure... Why the worries? Anyway, who's in charge of buying the food? Had to restock the fridges, they're practically empty."
"Don't worry about that. It's been taken care off."
"Oh? So I guess we can get going now?" She had hopes in her voice because she can't wait any longer to wander around.
Law turned away from her, and set his eyes on his crew again.
"Let's get going. Be cautious and don't cause trouble."
"Yes, captain!" The crew once again chorusing their response.
- - -
"You sure this will work?"
"Had to try. And we are getting closer to that island. According to them there should be only few islands in this path and the one after this will be either an empty island or another town. We should be able to change course at night after giving them this."
"Damn right. Let's do it. It's getting crazier and I don't want to be almost die like last time."
"You're not the only one."
"Shhhh shut up, it's connecting."
"Pero pero pero - kachak!"
"Who's there?"
"It's us, captain."
- - -
"Hey Mirra, what are you eating?"
"Humph?" Mouth fully stuffed and two plastics hung in each of her arms Mirra turned, as she heard her name being called. V grinned sloppily, one hand on his waist while Xan stood silently next to him. The two are Heart pirates and they always hang out together.
Gulping down her chewed food Mirra sighed in satisfaction as she beamed a large grin.
"I bought this kebab, and it's so yummy I can't stop eating." She smiled even wider, beaming a happy face as she showed them the stick. The meat and veggies skewed in between were well-flamed, dripping oil, and smoking hot with the fats and juicy chunks that shone under the sun giving an image of the most delicious food ever. The pirates could see more sticks poking out from the plastic bags that she carried.
"You seem to have more, can I have one?" V asked, politely.
Mirra stared quietly, as she looked at her plastic bags then eventually, offered one. V thanked her and didn't waste a second to gnaw on it, and Mirra offered a stick to Xan. He refused.
She was happy but kept it to herself. That means more meat for her.
"Damn, this is really delicious. Where did you buy it?"
"Over there?" Mirra pointed to one of the stalls at her left side but too far hidden inside behind many more stalls, so V sighed. He doesn't want to go there. It seems pack with people. He's too lazy to walk that far.
"Where are you going next?" He then asked.
Mirra shrugged her shoulder as she pulled the kebab with her teeth and chewed and swallowed. The empty stick was thrown back into the plastic bag.
"I don't know. There's nothing for me to do here anyways. I don't know where or what else to do."
"Ohh… Wanna go back to sub with us?"
"Can I?"
"You can. And we have the key to the sub so we can rest inside earlier. What do you say?"
"Well I would love to!" Spontaneously she answered. But then she remembered something. V and Xan might be a Heart pirate, but she barely talks to them. They aren't trying to do something funny to her, right?
Mirra wanted to change her mind but the two already went ahead, calling her to follow them back to the sub together. She relented. There's nothing much she knew about the two. Like their strength and power. But incase they tried to do something funny she can handle them, right? Hope so... Spending more hours waiting till sunset at random place in this island doesn't sound appealing to her. She wanted to avoid herself being in public much, for a certain reason.
Following them quietly behind their back Mirra watched them conversing with each other. V is pretty talkative. He did most of the talking while Xan prefer to say less, and mostly responding by nodding or shaking his head. If he needed to respond with words then he will speak. Other than that he hardly express his excitement on the topic.
That's probably because it's his character. He has a pair of lazy eyes too. It spoke thousand words just by staring at them. Like, 'leave me alone', 'don't talk to me' or 'I'm not interested' and such. V doesn't seem to mind it. That or he actually pretty dumb to not being able to read the situation.
"By the way Mirra why did you choose to travel with us?"
"Huh?" Mirra looked up at their face, brought back to reality after been spacing out. V expectantly waiting for the answer while Xan gave a low gaze.
"I, I'm not sure either. I think you guys are pretty strong so maybe travelling with you guys will give me a bit of security?"
"But we are pirates."
"Yes. And there are kind pirates too. You guys don't seem to simply kill or blowing a town so I'm fine with it." Mirra spoke while tugging her hair behind her ear. She sounded chipper.
Xan slowed down his steps to be on par with her speed, taking her left side as V copied and be at her right side. Mirra watched them two in question.
"But you realize the danger lurking around us, right? The last event is a great example. If it happens again you might be dragged too." Xan spoke, finally speaking to her for the first time. He sounds bored, mix of anger, and...dead?
"I know... But we can find ways around it. Like I helped your captain last time. Maybe next time you help me?"
"That's troublesome."
Mirra was taken aback. V had this ridiculous shocked face but no one seeing and Xan only tilted his head to make it look more intimidating with one eye hidden behind his cap.
"H-hey now, Xan. Why would you say so?"
Xan went ahead of her and stood facing her directly, stopping her in track. He deadly glared down at her, a frown on his face. Mirra creased her eyebrows meeting gaze with his dark eyes. Dark hair, dark eyes, what's up with him? If it's not for the boiler suit, she bet he'll be wearing black clothes too and mangle with shadows-
"I'm telling the truth. There's no need for you to be bothered by our problems, and us to be bothered by yours too. If we die that's on us. Why you must get in the way?"
His voice was smooth but laced with venom.
"Do you hate me sailing with you guys?" Calmy, she muttered.
"Hate? I found that captain is being too generous in making unnecessary space so I thought it's better to be cleared off."
He turned and walked away immediately, heading to the sub on his own with hands in his pockets as he leaved her dumbfounded and V panicked from his rude comments. The words repetitively played in her mind as she stood there taken aback, and promptly ignored V's constant apology.
Mirra snapped from it when she felt V hasn't stop talking and she was right, because he's currently listing all Xan's bad habits and attitude to derail her thoughts from his previous harsh word. She calmly reassured him, telling him she knew her position and she is fine. She will consider of leaving the crew as soon as possible, which much to V's disappointment.
- - -
"Oh hey Shachi you're back?"
The door to the mess hall opened as the red-haired male stepped in with two bags in his hand. He dragged his two feet to the table, of where Ray was sitting and lazily dropped the bags on it and slide in into one of the chairs.
"Found nothing interesting. So I come back early."
"No pretty babe in the town?" Ray snickered teasing him. His hands vigorously worked around his weapons, clothes and diamond stone at side with a little shinkkkk every time he strokes.
"They are everywhere but the memories of almost being cut open with no anaesthesia make me shiver."
For a second the males were brought back to the memories and they swallowed hard.
"I feel you. I wouldn't want to see any woman in a short time either. Specifically blonde and greenette..." Ray muttered lowly.
"How about Mirra-chan?"
"She's different. She helped captain and free us. I don't find it...vexatious to see her around."
"Hmm... Do you think she wants to be part of the Heart? Seeing she seems fit well for a hitchhiker I wonder if she wants to get fully employed as one?"
"Why don't you ask?"
"Captain is not easy to be pursued. Beside we've been traveling with no woman on board I started to see this as 'only man crew'.
"Heh, and that's why you all go 'girlllssss~' every time we docked."
Ray teased as Shachi laughed. The crew, saved for some tend to be woman deprived after travelling for a long time in submarine of all men. So every time they docked they make sure they go hitting places where ladies flocked. Shachi is not excluded. Penguin didn't make finding girls as his priority but because wherever Shachi is he will be there so technically he'll hang around too. And since Shachi is kinda a ladies man Penguin feel tempted to swoon one or two so he won't lose against the red-haired.
There's one crewmate that always go all out and being a sweet talker, tried to bring one or two to bed and that'll be V. But as far as Shachi knows he's the one being gamed and had his money taken away. He's out of league compared to Kyle who's the most handsome in the crew, who'll have the women frolicking around him themselves, and who'll be the one who gamed them instead.
Another one that get too excited when woman is within vicinity would be Clione. He has a scripted dialogue for every woman he sees. Mirra wasn't spared. The first day of their introduction she was told of his name, age, height, blood type, favourite food, bounty - which he got none but if he has one it's gonna start with 50, 000 belli at minimum - and the size of his irregular toes hidden in his boots because his stupid mouth won't stop talking. In all honesty when he told her that she wasn't listening because her eyes drifted to the captain that entered the room with his long longsword. So she missed the part of his greatest story involving chemicals, poison, loud of booms - twice - and victory kill.
Next if we are looking for someone that so bad in flirting and always stutter at the first word that'll be Anko. He tried to improve himself, so he's taking a baby step by copying Clione and learned how to talk smoothly, crafting his own introduction but he definitely didn't have the courage. He ended up practicing to the crew, expressing his undying love and charm to the point it became too unbearable so they locked him out of the room for few nights in fear of his desire and lust towards them.
Even Law had fell for it once, that he dropped his spoon and coughed violently when Anko praised his cute goatee and adorable sideburns.
Anko was cut to 10 pieces that day and left scattered around the sub.
Next for others like Loki, James and Xan they are 50-50. Sometimes they flirt sometimes they ignored. Sometimes they ogled sometimes they rolled their eyes. Sometimes they spoke first sometimes they chased away at the very first step the women approached them. It all depends on the mood, place, availability of bellis and weather, especially Xan. In day time he's mostly moody while in night time he's calmer than a clam.
Law, Ray and Bepo would be the only one who wouldn't be bothered by woman's - unless it was female polar bear then Bepo definitely doesn't count - presence at any time. They there or not there they don't bother. As long as the women don't get in their ways then it's fine. Like try to seduce the crew and fished their pockets then they will find a long sword, or very sharp dagger or 42 sharp-pearly white teeth baring right at their face.
And lastly Hiro, and as per mention the said buffy-all-muscled male entered the mess hall, eyes glowing dagger as he greeted them and disappeared behind the counter, taking out a pitcher from a fridge and drank from it with every gulp drowning the shiinnnkkk sound and gone out again in a minute. Empty pitcher in sink. Hiro is the only person never, really, never, like woman. He snarled, he looked down and he degraded woman's existence and looked at them as barnacles under the submarine. No one ever knows why exactly he's behaving like that. Probably because of his past. Butas long as he still knows his boundaries and never hurt any woman purposely then the Hearts didn't meddle.
Shachi collapsed onto the table, one arm extended forward while another covered his face and his cheek pressed onto the pristine table. So clean that they could see their reflection because Mirra dedicated herself in cleaning her working areas, subsequently putting the entirety of the sub in shame for not being able to maintain the cleanliness for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 30/31 days a month.
Shachi took a peek behind his arm, looking at the tip of Ray's blades that have been sharpened and aligned in a straight manner facing his face.
"They look sharp enough. Whose carotid arteries you want to slay?" He jokingly said as Ray chuckled and put the blade on the table before taking another one.
"Wouldn't you wanna know?"
Simple question with simple answer. How peaceful it is.
"So who's back?"
"Me, you, Hiro, Anko, Loki and Clione." Ray shrugged.
"I see.. So where's that nincompoop -"
"Hey guys," as if on cue Anko walked into the mess hall, hands holding a pen and the morning's newspaper. "Do you guys know where people go for self-rewarding moment?"
"What?"
"It has three letters..." Anko took a seat at one of the empty spaces while knocking the tip of his pen onto the table.
Ray's and Shachi's eyes dropped to the newspaper in his hands, where the page Anko was facing peeked from the slight fold.
"Ohh..." They turned away as they figured out what he meant.
Anko's on it again. Playing the crossword puzzle at page 18 of every newspaper. He caught the hobby ever since he joined the crew, saying it at least hones his vocabulary but till this day he's still the stupidest Heart.
"Three letters only... What could it be? Bar? Pub? But it didn't match with the one after it." Anko raked his brain.
Shachi watched Anko's constipated face. (For someone who always running away from doing the laundry he sure focuses on useless thing.) His fingernail is scratching the table while the shinkkkkk became louder with every stroke indicating Ray ignoring him. Shachi didn't want to listen to the helmsman's mumble. He deserved a break from this.
"Toilet." He immediately stood and pushed back the chair under the table. Anko pursed his lips upon hearing it.
"Toilet has six letters. I told you I only need three."
"That's not what I mean - whatever..." Shachi sighed and disappeared behind the door.
Anko was left confused.
And Ray pretended to cease his existence there. He believed in 'if you can't see the enemy then they can't see you' saying.
- - -
"Hey, you're back."
"Hey guys..." Mirra kindly smiled, greeting Penguin and Bepo who's by the railing lifting crates and sacks of things they just bought.
"Woaw... You guys bought a lot." Mirra ran her fingers along one of the sacks and briefly checking out whatever inside. Potatoes...
"I'm sorry." Bepo said in depressed.
"No, you don't have to apologize..." She sweat dropped.
"Well we're just preparing incase we can't get any supply on the next island." Penguin grinned. "And where do you think you are going?" Swiftly he grabbed V by the shoulder, whom tiptoeing to the door trying to be unnoticed.
"Help us with the stuff, will ya?" Penguin smiled. A dangerous smile.
V stuttered making excuses. Penguin tilted his head, an eye peeking out from under his hat and immediately V jovially shouted he is so excited to help and in fact can lift all the crates and sacks by his own. Mirra didn't want to know what he saw under the hat. That must be something scary if V was reduced to jelly-o.
Mirra offered to help them. And with more hands working things get done quicker. As she put the last crate on the deck and waited for the trolley to arrive so they can push them inside Penguin rummaged through his list, doing final check to ensure everything was bought.
He sighed, stuffing the thin paper into pocket.
"What's wrong?"
"Hmm? Oh nothing." Penguin smiled, turning his face to her with crossed arms. "It just that the food is a bit pricey in this town. Captain won't be happy to hear how much we have spent."
"Really? You have the receipt? Let me see?"
"Sure, but the small stalls don't provide any though." Penguin pulled out bunch of receipts, crinkled and folded in many ways showing that he just stuffed them into his pockets the moment he received them.
Mirra read them one by one. Her eyebrows did many acrobatic moves. The figures quite absurd. For two sacks of potatoes it cost them 50 belli. This spud should cost around 30 belli. Same goes for the flour. Rice is understandable. Not all town can produce their own depending on the weather and type of soil so the price fluctuates regularly in different island.
Someone is ripping them off.
- - -
"And then I said that we can't be together. My captain is waiting and we'll depart early tomorrow morning. But we are fate to be together so we definitely will meet again," - snorts dripping down and tears accumulated - "one day, under the deep dark blue sky painted with glittering shining stars blessing our loves and nothing will separate us anym--"
"Then? Did she kiss you?"
"None! Her love is so pure! She wants to save her first kiss for the under the starry night sky!" V bellowed. The table was slammed and the mug-poured-beer shook from the force.
"And you give her all your money." One snorted.
"Not even a single belli left." One rummaging his wallet.
"You're an idiot." One deadpanned.
"Hah! You jerks are jealous! I found the love of my life! All of you will forever be single!"
"Dude. You're gonna forgot her next week."
"No I won't! We are fated to be together! We have the same eye colour!"
"Yeah and Shachi and I have the same underwear but we didn't fuck."
Shachi nodded agreeing, "mine bigger though" he slipped in.
Anko gave a 'no you're not' look. It was parried with a look that challenged each other to prove it.
Law walked in, with Bepo faithfully by his side and pulled a chair that scrapped the wooden floor but he didn't care. He raised an arm, ordered a mug of beer, and some sort of fried rice with octopus and prawns and whatever that red paste by the side that he's not going to touch for sure.
"Do you have fish?" Bepo quietly asked. The waitress visibly shocked, "talking bear" and Bepo apologized and the pirates sighed "don't apologize dumbass."
10 minutes indulging in their not so quiet chatter the saloon door swung as the last Heart pirate walked in with the red-haired hitchhiker. Penguin grinned when he reached the table, while Mirra walked forward to the long table before the bartender and sat.
"Hey guys, eating without waiting for me huh?" Penguin lightly rested his palms on Xan's chair. The latter ignored him as he continued slurping his ramen.
"What is Mirra-chan doing there? She's not eating with us?" Shachi eyed the woman who accepted the drinks from the bartender. Plain water?
"Oh leave her be. She doesn't want you guys to call her here. She's not a Heart pirate. It will trouble her if people misunderstand."
Penguin brushed off Shachi's inquiry, at the same time he lifted Xan's chair and dragged it to the left disrupting his eating and then slide in his own chair and sat with a thump.
"I hate you", Xan cursed as he furiously glared at the soup that spilled on his front boiler suit.
Penguin chuckled, ignored his protest and turned to Law. "Captain!" His constant grin never leaved his face as he waved few bills in his hand. Law rose an eyebrow when Penguin passed the money.
"Here's the balance from buying the supplies. Mirra-chan found that the vendors looting our money so she gets some of them back."
"Looting us?"
"Tampering the scales and pasting thin layers of plastic on the fruits. I honestly can't see the difference when she showed me the apples."
"Apples?" The pirate inquired.
"The vendor has her apples pasted with thin red plastic. Mirra-chan sliced the skin slightly and it peeled off the fake skin. They have the machines to do that, genuinely I was shocked. I guess this is something normal in business huh?"
"Really? How she knows that?" Bepo murmured.
Penguin shrugged his shoulder. He snatched his bestfriend's beer and drink it. The other 13 intrigued pirates - with noodles hung between their lips, soups dripping from chins and loud chewing of chicken and celery - turned all eyes on her, watching as she fanned her tongue because the food she's eating was too spicy while the bartender laughed. They scrunched their eyes, focus unwavering until one of them farted and they turned back pissed, all things forgotten.
Law however, was still keeping his eyes on her.
She's sharp and quite knowledgeable, probably from experience. What else about her that they don't know? Since she never acts hostile against his crew, he was loosened up to her. But just incase...
Law's wariness heightened once again like it was the first time they meet.
To be continued
Thanx for reading
- redheaded997 -