Well, this chapter sort of skips a lot, because I want to get the main part under way. Also, it's filled with drama -does an overexagerated sigh and puts her hand on her forehead-
Disclaimer: Me no no own One Piece, Kasey Chambers, Or her song "A little bit lonesome" Nor do I own any other songs in this story, except the pirate one in the last chapter. Yeah, I'm gonna shut up now.
Stealthy: Good Idea
Me: No one loves me -cries in the corner-
Chapter 7: Yuba
We travelled all the next day as well, and I was dead tired, mainly from Zolo's and my little stint that night, but hey, it was fun. The moon shone down on us and it was freezing.
"Over there!" Vivi called pointing towards the horizon. The rest of the crew brightened, picking up the pace a little as Nami urged Eyelash to go faster. What we saw, wasn't what we expected. It was desolate and quiet.
A ghost town.
Is this what we had been travelling all that way for? Vivi hopped down from the camel and looked around, the moonlight hitting her face and illuminating the obvious shock the woman was feeling. I pulled my hat off my head, and placed it over my heart. People had died here. There was a soft sound and I looked over to see a short flash of sand go over the small dune.
"Hey Vivi." I said and the princess turned toward me. I pointed towards where another bit of sand flew past the dune again. Vivi hurried past and the crew and I followed, not sure what we were going to find. An old man, that's what we found. Shovelling dirt from a hole. He was old and withered and it made my heart go out to him.
I waited with the others as Vivi talked to him. I could tell it was a sad conversation, and I closed my eyes, willing for something good to happen. It didn't. The old man turned out to be called Tutu. He was a really nice guy too. He found us a house to stay in and warm blankets and beds. All of it was left behind along with him. He insisted that he was going to find water in that hole he had been digging.
I sat on the edge of my bed that night, as the others talked of what they thought was going to happen. I was also thinking, but not talking. How could he keep going? After all that had seemingly happened to him, he just kept digging. The next thing I knew, a pillow hit me and the room went silent. I looked around and saw Sanji standing there, seemingly shocked.
"Sorry S." he apologised in a stricken voice. I picked up the pillow and looked at it, before looking back at him.
"Nah, it's okay." I said and then threw the pillow straight at his head. It hit him dead on and the pillow fight raged on. I hit Zolo repeatedly, and he hit Usopp who accidentally mistook Chopper for a pillow and threw him at Sanji.
Of course then Usopp ran around the room screaming of a monster because Chopper went into his man beast form and tried to throttle the marksman. It went on until late that night when battered, tired and worn we all went to sleep. The one thing I noticed though, before I fell asleep, was that Luffy wasn't there.
The next morning dawned a little earlier than I would have liked, and it was decided that we were to move out as soon as we were packed again. The rebels we had been searching for weren't there and so we were to head back to Alubarna, the place where the crew had started.
It was sad goodbye for Vivi as she knew Tutu so well, and I felt a little isolated from everyone else. I turned away, and watched the sand, wondering what was going to happen next. The crew began to move and we walked in the sand. I didn't ask what was going on. It was none of my business. I didn't belong here, I didn't belong with the group. I looked up to see Luffy sit by a tree and then start talking.
I couldn't hear what they were talking about, but Sanji looked angry and then Vivi was tackling Luffy! Wow, the princess could really move. I sighed and walked up. I crossed my arms and watched patiently. Vivi yelled at Luffy, but Luffy replied in a soft voice. They were arguing about which way they wanted to go, and which was better for Vivi's people.
I stayed silent.
After a while it was decided that we were to go to Rainbase. So we did. Once again it was a hot day, and we were picking up the pace, trying to get to the town as quickly as we could.
"Are you okay S?" a voice asked. I looked up and saw Luffy watching me. I nodded.
"I'm okay." I replied softly. What was wrong with me? I was so dreary. So asleep.
"Can I have a look at your pendant?" Nami suddenly asked. I nodded and took it off, handing it up to her where she sat on the camel. Nami inspected it for a few minutes, and then handed it back.
"It looks like an ancient artefact." she said. I tilted my head as I looked at it. Maybe it was the sun, or the heat, or tiredness but when I looked at the pendant, the snake seemed to be moving. It was freaky! Suddenly the snake lashed out like it was going to bite me. I squealed in shock and dropped the pendant in the sand, where it lay still.
"What's wrong?" Zolo asked. I ignored him as I bent down and gingerly picked the pendant up by the chain and then using the sash from my hat, I wrapped it up and tucked it into a pocket. I didn't care if it was my imagination, or real, but that freaked me out and I wasn't really prepared to have it around my neck.
"Nothing." I replied finally and kept walking. Something wacked was going on, and I didn't want it to happen. Problem was, I was the wacked thing.
"Umm, Stealthy? I don't mean to sound rude." Luffy began.
"Luffy's being polite? The world's gonna end!" Usopp screeched, running in a circle like an idiot.
"Oh shutup!" Zolo yelled and hit him over the head with the butt of his sword. I chuckled.
"What's up Luffy?" I replied, feeling a little happier now that the pendant was away.
"Well, I know I ask a lot, but, could you sing please?" he asked, with his biggest smile. I snickered.
"Alright. What kind of song would you like?" I asked. Luffy paused. I hadn't asked this before.
"Umm, what kinds are there?" he replied.
"Fast, soft, slow, short, funny, whatever." I explained, still walking. Luffy thought again.
"Um, I don't know. Ask Zolo what he wants."
"It's your song you twit." Zolo replied. Luffy pouted.
"Alright, what song do you want Zolo?" I asked. Zolo sighed.
"I don't care." he replied a little nastily. I sighed. Zolo is such a grump. I thought for a moment.
"Ok. Kasey Chambers, A little bit lonesome." I said and then paused for a moment to think of the tune and to hope that I wouldn't pass out like I had last time.
I'm a little bit lonesome,
I'm a little bit blue,
I can't stop cryin',
Since I lost you,
There's a pain in my heart,
Like a lightning bolt,
I'm a little bit lonesome,
It's all your fault.
Well, every time I wake up,
I got you rollin' in my head,
Well your eyes are lookin' at me,
But they're seeing her instead,
I got big fat broken heart with a pain,
Sharper than a steel blade knife,
Well, thanks to you,
These lonesome blues are the best things in my life.
Well, I'm a little bit lonesome,
I'm a little bit blue,
I can't stop cryin',
Since I lost you,
There's a pain in my heart,
Like a lightning bolt,
I'm a little bit lonesome,
It's all your fault.
Well, the last time that I saw you,
She had hold of your hand,
You waved across the street at me,
But I turned away and ran.
When I got home,
I got a honky tonk song,
And played it till' my eyes went red
Well, I grabbed a glass,
I said kiss my ass,
I'm gonna drink you outta my head.
Well, I'm a little bit lonesome,
I'm a little bit blue,
I can't stop cryin',
Since I lost you,
There's a pain in my heart,
Like a lightning bolt,
I'm a little bit lonesome,
It's all your fault.
I'm a little bit lonesome!
It's all your fault…
And I finished. I hadn't passed out, I was still in the sand. I sighed. Luffy was looking at me.
"I don't get it." he said. I snorted.
"Okay, how about this one."
99 bottles of beer on the wall,
99 bottles of beer,
Knock one down,
Pass it around,
98 bottles of beer on the wall.
"Cool!" Luffy crowed and then started singing the song. It was alright, the first 20 times he did it.
I put my hands over my ears.
"I regret ever teaching him that song." I said to Zolo who also had his hands over his ears.
"Yeah, so do I." he replied.
So, we walked, and walked, until we came to Rainbase. It was a beautiful city. And the pyramid in the centre was just superb. The Rain dinners restaurant it was called, and I wanted to go there instantly. But we couldn't.
We did get there eventually though. Unfortunately, that then meant we were stuck in a cage as well. And so, here we were. Zolo was fast asleep against the wall, Usopp was going crazy, the weird Chaser, smoker dude was sitting on the bench thing, Nami was yelling at Usopp to shut up and Luffy was trying to push his way through the bars. Outside, Vivi was tied to a chair, with Crocodile talking to her.
I was watching them. Crocodile seemed even worse in person. Luffy collapsed to the floor beside me, breathing heavily.
"Let go of the bars Luffy." Zolo muttered. Okay, so he wasn't asleep. Luffy did as he was told.
"Let me out!" Luffy yelled. He was angrier than I had ever seen him. I frowned. We had rights you know. He couldn't stick us in a cage like some animals.
"Oi!" I yelled, strangely feeling more brave and smarter than I usually did. Crocodile paused. "Let us out of here or I swear I'll set my giant chicken on you!" I cried. Ok, well, maybe not that smart. Crocodile laughed. Bastard.
"Just shut up and sit tight little girl." he responded. Okay, that did it. Any name calling I could tolerate. Sticks and stones and all that jazz, but no one, and I mean no one, calls me a little girl!
"Hey scar face, if you want a real fight, why don't you let us out of this damn cage and fight us fairly, or are you to chicken?" I yelled, angry. Luffy, Zolo, Nami, Usopp and even ugly in the back ground paused to look at me. Crocodile walked over to the cage and leaned in close, that stupid smile on his face.
"Chicken? No. Smarter than you? Yes." he replied and then walked away again. Well, then the bastard went and tormented Vivi, which only heightened Luffy and my anger levels, and then he dropped the key… into a crocodile pit! I mean, come on!
What kind of a sadistic creepo do you have to be to do that? Water began to flood into the room and not to mention the crocodiles now had an entrance into the room and were lining up like cars in the Macdonald's drive thru. Guess who was the fast food?
Then something happened that not even I expected. Sanji. He had come up with the best plan and Luffy nearly blew it when he realised who was on the phone. I grabbed him and put my hand over his mouth, determined to shut him up. Then Crocodile left, and we were left alone.
Vivi announced she was going to find Sanji, then she had a fight with a crocodile and then left. We were counting on her. Usopp was running back and forwards in the cage and I couldn't resist just putting my foot out and tripping him up. Usopp went flying straight into the wall and I smiled.
Poor Usopp. He didn't deserve that, but I just couldn't resist. Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention something else has started happening to me? I am starting to forget my old life. I mean my real world life. I can't remember my Mum, or my grandparents.
All I can remember now is their voices and the day I was taken from my living room and stuck in a world where Luffy stretching like rubber was real and wielding three swords was normal.
Or, a sword at all. I sighed.
Now was not the time to break down. I had been holding up so well! But, this was all to much and my lip trembled. I wanted to let it all out, I wanted to tell everyone why I was here and what had happened. But the risk of them rejecting me was too great. I couldn't take rejection. I pulled my hat low over my face. Unfortunately for me, Luffy usually did this when he was crying and therefore Zolo picked up on the movement instantly.
I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my skull and I wanted to turn around and yell at him to stop it, that I wasn't a weakling who cried for no apparent reason! I wasn't! Before I knew what I was doing, I slammed a fist into the wall. The pain was incredible but I gritted my teeth. The cage went silent.
"That wasn't very smart now was it?" a voice asked. I turned to face the smoking man.
"Back off, I don't need you telling me what's smart or not." I snapped. Chaser smiled. I growled and then looked over. Usopp was holding Luffy up. The water was up to our knees now and it was enough to make Luffy weak. Zolo was still watching me and it was beginning to tick me off.
"What are you looking at?" I snapped. Zolo looked shocked and slightly hurt and then his face hardened again.
"Nothing." he replied nastily and looked out the cage door. My frown fell as I realised what I had done. I was about to say something when one of the crocodiles outside the cage was suddenly belted into the air.
I paused and looked over to see Sanji standing there, leg still pointed into the air. Wow, he really was powerful. I sweat dropped as he began to perform his noodle dance.
"Ah, Nami, Stealthy!" he cried his arms and legs reminiscent of squid's tentacles. Nami sighed.
"Get us out of here Sanji." she said. We were let out, Sanji having conned Mr 3 into unlocking the cage and then kicking him in the face. Unfortunately, when we got out, the windows broke and the walls began to crumble and within seconds the whole room was a massive swimming pool.
Nami grabbed Vivi's hand and the two grabbed onto Usopp who had been hit with a rock and knocked out. I saw Zolo grab Chaser and Sanji grab Luffy and then we were following Nami who was leading the way out. My lungs were burning and we weren't even half way yet!
A hand grabbed onto mine and I looked up to see Sanji pulling me with him, Luffy over his shoulder. Sanji really could be a nice guy. Finally we broke the surface and I gasped, coughing and spluttering as I tried to get my asphyxiated lungs working again. I got up onto the shore and lay on the cement, just breathing. Sanji pulled Luffy up beside me and I looked over.
"Thanks Sanji." I said. He shrugged.
"No problem." he replied. I smiled and then looked over as Chaser tried to pick a fight with Zolo. I stood and helped Luffy up, who was still only half conscious.
"Leave." Chaser said finally. We all looked at him. Chaser was a marine, and a captain at that. Why would he let us go? We ran for it, straight through the town. Sanji must have had a plan because he asked Nami to put some perfume on.
Or perhaps, he just wanted to smell it. But anyway, he was leading us. I looked back in time to see Luffy nearly get hit by Chaser's baton and then run towards me.
"Run Stealthy!" he cried and I followed his orders. Chopper skidded up in front of us on a giant crab when we had reached the other side of the town. Wait a minute… Giant Crab? What the hell?
"Taxi crabs." Zolo commented as we were lifted up on the claw onto it's back. Luffy stood on top of the crab's eye and we were off. It was a considerably smoother ride than I had thought it would be. I sat down by myself on the other side of the crab. Zolo was now ignoring me.
He hadn't spoken to me, hadn't looked at me, hadn't even acknowledged the fact that I was there. I heard a yell and spun to see a giant hook grab Vivi and haul her away.
"Vivi!" Luffy yelled and then was after her, rubber arms grabbing onto the hook and throwing Vivi back to us.
"Luffy! I want to see you in Alu Barna. Okay?" Vivi called.
"Yeah!" we heard Luffy return. I watched him lying there in the sand. Watched until he disappeared over the horizon. Would Luffy be okay? How would he get back? How was he going to defeat someone made of sand!
"Don't worry about Luffy." a voice said beside me. I looked over and saw Usopp watching me. He gave me a thumbs up. "He's the greatest pirate there ever was. He'll be fine." I smiled.
"Thanks Usopp." I said. He smiled and went over to Chopper. Zolo was still ignoring me. He shouldn't have been that way towards me. Shouldn't be so… cold. But this was my own fault.
Yelling at him, was probably the worst thing I could have done.
Poor Stealthy, she made a mess of this didn't she? Wonder why she got so mad in the cage? XP
You know, reviewing is good for the soul of the reviewer and the reviewee, know what I mean? -hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink-
Zolo: You're an idiot
Luffy: Zolo be nice!
Me: I need a life. -.-