Coco: Yo, everyone~ How are we all doing today? Are we ready for another chapter? Are we ready to see Sanji's jealous? To read about a possible kiss scene? Well, that's get started.
A few minutes passed since Luffy had run off, and the others hadn't seen any sign of him. Havel, who was cleaning feathers from his paws, had returned a few seconds ago with all their things, but he informed the others that he didn't see the Straw Hat boy on his way back to them. After he finished cleaning away the feathers, Wren sent him back out for another look as Nami was checking over to see if they had gotten everything back.
"It's a good thing you were here, Wren." Nami said smiling at the slightly older woman. "We have everything back thanks to you."
"Well, not everything." Wren said. "We are still missing a certain someone."
Nami sighed knowing that was true. She was worried about Luffy since the Havel hadn't been able to spot him. What if he had sunken into quicksand or something else like that? A few more minutes passed, and Havel returned again while shaking his to indicate that he hadn't seen Luffy.
"I couldn't see him." Havel said. "Especially not with the huge sand clouds covering the area."
"Huge clouds of sand?" Wren asked.
Havel nodded his head as he shook out his fur to get rid of the sand he's collected since running after those birds.
"Looked like something large—well, more than one something—was burrowing underneath the ground, which caused such huge sand clouds," Havel explained. "I also wasn't sure, but I thought I might have heard some screaming earlier."
Zoro frowned while having a feeling that Luffy might somehow be involved. The ground then suddenly started shaking, which had the others looking around in confusion.
"What's that?" Chopper asked.
Wren looked forward seeing the sand clouds Havel, who slunk back into her shadow, had mentioned.
"What on earth is that rumbling?" Usopp asked.
Wren tilted her head when the sound of cheering and shouting reached her ears. Usopp put his sniper goggles on to get a closer look.
"Is it another sandstorm?" Usopp asked.
"I highly doubt it." Wren said. "I believe Luffy has simply gotten himself into more trouble."
The others really hoped she was wrong, and hoped Usopp told them it was just another sandstorm. As Wren watched on, she noticed one of the sand clouds disappeared while the one to the right shifted over to get directly behind whatever it seemed to be chasing. This had her narrowing her eyes.
'Looks like whatever is coming our way is trying for a surprise attack,' She thought.
"No wait…that looks like…it's Luffy!" Usopp said.
"Oh no." Vivi said. "It can't be."
Wren glanced at Vivi wondering what this desert danger was going to be this time. If the animal is borrowing, perhaps some kind of large rodent. Maybe a reptile.
"Huh…why is he on a camel?" Nami asked when Luffy came into better view for the rest of them to see.
"Someone want to tell me what the hell is chasing him?" Sanji asked.
"I can't really tell, but it looks like there's something in the sand burrowing after him." Zoro said. "Just like Havel mentioned before."
And its companion had suddenly stopped, and had Wren wondering where it'd pop up next. The thing that was chasing after Luffy came out from underneath the sand to reveal a large purple lizard creature. As the others freaked out, Wren tilted her head curiously.
"What is that?" Zoro asked.
"It's a Sandora Dragon!" Vivi explained.
"It's a what?!" Usopp asked.
"A Sandora Dragon." Vivi repeated. "They're the biggest reptile that live in the desert. They wait under the sand for their prey then ambush them. They have razor sharp fangs and claws, but they hardly ever use them. Because they're so incredibly huge, they usually just end up swallowing their victims whole!"
Wren hummed. If it could swallow victims whole, all those other deadly characteristics seemed like a bit much. And wasteful if they don't actually need to use their fangs and claws.
"I gotta admit that boy has a talent for attracting trouble." Ace said.
"Yeah, and all of us have the scars to prove it." Sanji said.
"What kind of crap star was he born under to attract trouble like that?" Zoro asked frowning.
He and Sanji then sprang into action, which meant that Wren, who debated on helping, would hang back. Wren watched with the others as the three men attacked the Sandora Dragon once Zoro and Sanji got close enough. With one attack each from the three pirates the Sandora Dragon was taken down without a problem. Wren's brow quirked while feeling a bit impressed. For rookies they were rather strong, but that lizard really didn't deserve such an end.
"They didn't have to go that far." Usopp said.
"Whenever those guys fight it almost makes me feel sorry for the monsters." Nami added.
The Sandora Dragon defeated by Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji hit the ground just as Wren sensed its partner was behind her. A split second later the second Sandora Dragon popped out behind Wren. Wren turned to look at it calmly as the others started freaking out.
"Another one?" Nami asked.
"I'm sorry." Vivi said. "I guess I must have forgotten to mention that Sandora Dragons always hunt in pairs."
Wren sighed at Vivi's words as Nami, Chopper, and Usopp told Vivi to get with it.
"Oh no, Wren, Ace!" Nami shouted.
"Look out!" Vivi added.
Ace stood up beside Wren as the girl was hoping the beast would just feel it was outmatched and retreat. She didn't like having to bring harm to animals. Even if they were threatening her.
"There's a lot of pests in these deserts." Ace said. "You wanna play?"
The Sandora Dragon gave a roar, which had Ace's grin growing. He then jumped up with the giant lizard snapping its jaws shut around him. As the others screamed in worry, Wren shook her head.
"He always has to be so dramatic." Wren said.
The beast then caught on fire from the inside out, which turned it a dark black. Wren covered her nose, which wrinkled at the horrid stench of charred flesh. Ace, who was now free, landed beside her while looking quite pleased with himself.
"You took things too far," Wren said with a sigh. "…as always…"
"Sorry," He said as his grin grew. "But I didn't fancy being made into his lunch, ya know?"
Wren hummed in reply. He had a point. It was either eat or be eaten in the laws of nature. Though she didn't like hurting or even threatening animals, if it was her only option, she would do what must be done to survive.
"Hey, guys, we're back!" Luffy called as he, Zoro, and Sanji returned. "Whoa, you guys took out your own big lizard! That's cool!"
"That wasn't us," Nami, who was still freaking out about what just happened, said. "Ace did that."
"It's like I said before," Usopp began as he sat off to the side with Nami and Chopper, "A brother of a monster is an even bigger monster."
Chopper nodded in agreement with large tears running down his face as he whimpered. Wren sweat-dropped while almost feeling bad for the three. Luffy though just laughed as he placed his hands on his hips.
"Well, I don't know if I can make much out of this one's meat," Sanji said as he inspected the lizard Ace charbroiled. "But the other one would make a good lunch."
"WHAT?!" Nami screeched. "You want to eat these things?!"
Vivi looked a little pale at the thought, which was the completely opposite of Luffy whose entire face lit up.
"Yeah, sounds good to me!" Luffy cheered.
Wren sat off to the side in the shade as Sanji was using the hot stones to cook the Sandora Dragon meat. Luffy had already stuffed his face with quite a bit of it. He offered her some when seeing she wasn't eating with everyone else, but she had to politely decline. She felt bad for the creatures…even if they were trying to eat them.
"I apologize, Luffy, but I do not eat meat." Wren explained when the boy insisted.
He gasped looking at her with wide eyes and his mouth almost unhinged and hitting the ground in shock.
"You don't eat meat?" He asked. "What kind of weirdo are you, Wren?"
Wren's right brow rose thinking the troublemaking rubber boy, who shoves chopsticks up his nose for fun, really has no right to be calling anyone a weirdo. Let alone her. However, she kept her mouth shut, but Sanji was a different story. Said blonde kicked Luffy over the head causing the boy's head to bobble back and forth in a comical manner.
"The hell did you call my beautiful Wren-chan, Luffy?!" Sanji demanded.
"A weirdo," Luffy replied honestly, which he really shouldn't have done considering it got him another foot to the face.
He almost dropped the Sandora Dragon meat Sanji made for him out of surprise as the cook growled.
"How dare you call her something like that, rubber brain!" Sanji snapped. "She's a beautiful, goddess to unreal for this world, you got that?!"
He gave Luffy a few more kicks and after bruising the boy, Luffy weakly apologized to Wren who felt like she should actually be apologizing to him. Sanji then whirled around to smile at Wren.
"Don't worry, darling, I'll be sure to whip you up something vegetarian safe." Sanji promised her. "I made sure to pack things especially catered for your food preferences."
"Thank you, Sanji, but perhaps I will eat later," Wren said. "I'm not too hungry at the moment."
Sanji just smiled before going back to cooking Sandora Dragon meat for the others.
"So now that we have a moment." Zoro began casually as if Luffy's face hadn't just been rearranged by the bipolar cook, "What's the deal with the camel?"
"I don't know." Luffy said. "It was getting eaten by the mystery plants when I was chasing those birds."
The birds he didn't know Havel had turned into a midday snack. Luffy was just under the assumption Havel only brought their stuff back by taking it from the birds, and Wren was going to spare him the rest of the details.
"It's obviously not a wild camel." Nami said.
"No, not with a saddle or bridle." Vivi agreed.
Chopper looked curiously at the camel while walking over to get a better look at it. The camel looked back at Chopper as well with its eyes widening in recognition.
"Oh, yeah, it is you!" Chopper exclaimed.
The camel started to speak with Chopper as Luffy, who was still eating, walked over curiously.
"Really?" Chopper asked. "Good for you!"
"Wait, so you guys know each other?" Luffy asked.
"Uh-huh, he gave me a ride when I escaped from Katoria." Chopper explained.
That must mean he was used to giving people rides, which could come in handy.
"Hhmm, he's a passenger carrying camel." Usopp said. "That's sure going to make things a lot easier."
"Yeah, that ought to be a real help." Sanji added as he continued cooking the meat. "It looks like he can carry two to maybe three."
Wren would feel bad if they tried to have the camel carrying three at a time. There was no reason to work the poor thing to death.
"Camels do go hand-in-hand with deserts." Zoro said grinning.
"Great, I'll take the first shift." Luffy said.
He tried climbing onto the camel's back, but the camel bit him on the head to stop him.
"Ow." Luffy whined as he got back down.
The camel then started speaking, so Chopper stood beside him to translate what he was saying.
"'I'm afraid I'm a hardboiled yet compassionate son of the desert.'" Chopper translated. "'I'm very grateful to you for helping me out of that jam back there, and I'll be glad to give some of you a ride. But I'm afraid I don't accept male passengers.'"
The camel's words got him a beating from Usopp, Luffy, and Sanji. Wren watched the scene while shaking her head. The boys stopped their beating, and the camel added something that Chopper translated.
"'I'm too macho.'" Chopper said as the camel gave a grin.
The boys went to continue their earlier beating, but they froze as a dark presence loomed around them. They slowly turned their heads seeing Wren glaring at them.
"You hit him one more time, and it will be the three of you receiving a beating, understood?" She asked with a cold, unfeeling voice.
They quickly nodded their heads in understanding as Nami stepped up to the camel to scratch underneath his chin, which had his eyes turning into hearts like Sanji's seem to do when the girls of the crew give him attention.
"I'm sorry my male crewmates are a bunch of ill-bred louts." Nami apologized as the camel got down for Nami to climb up on. "Now what should we call you, you great big precious camel, you?"
"Idiot." Luffy suggested.
"Moron." Sanji added.
"Doofus!" Usopp threw in his two cents.
Nami didn't listen to any of their suggestions as the camel stood up with her on its back.
"Eyelash it is then." She said smiling.
"Uh, how'd you arrive at that?" Zoro asked as he sweat-dropped.
"Because she decided not to listen to the other suggestions." Wren, who stopped glaring at the other boys, said. "Though if I had had the chance to name him, I believe I would have gone with Floofy."
Zoro looked at her to see if she was serious, and when he saw that she was, he sweat-dropped once more.
'What is with these women?' He thought to himself.
"Wren, do you want to get on with us?" Nami asked after convincing Vivi to climb on.
Wren declined her offer, and once everyone else had their things packed and ready to go, the group continued their journey. They were actually making good time even with these few delays. As long as nothing else happened during their trek, they should make it to Yuba (or Rainbase in Wren's undecided case) right on schedule.
"I jinxed myself," Wren sighed. "I should have known that something would happen."
Wren then looked around her when seeing that she was indeed separated from the others. She had been ahead of the boys when she was trying to keep up with Nami and Vivi. Now there was no sign of the girls or the guys. She frowned wondering what she should do now. She couldn't sense anyone around her, which meant she had to have gotten pretty separated from everyone. She sighed supposing she'd just have to keep walking, and hope to find the others.
Hopefully her haki could pick up a human presence along the way. If she doesn't find anyone before nightfall, she'd find a place to settle for the night then continue in the morning.
"Though," Wren began as she started moving forward. "This could be my chance to go onto Rainbase without having to worry about them slowing me down with their trip to Yuba."
She felt Havel's unhappiness through her shadow. Obviously her familiar didn't agree with her plan. But really, she would be doing Vivi and the others a favor if she dealt with Crocodile first. Besides, he holds the same title as Doflamingo, he would make good practice for the future, and help her get a gauge for where she needs to improve.
"They would be better off without me in their lives anyway," Wren said. "Those rookies—the way they are now—couldn't even dream to last a second against any of my former crew."
And they would be targeted if Doflamingo received word Wren was working with them. Even if only for one little mission like this. It was best to cut ties before anyone could hear of her connection to the Straw Hats. Though even if everything she was thinking was logical, she felt a twinge upset at the thought of leaving behind such a lively group. She supposes these bungling rookies have grown on her slightly.
'Which isn't a good thing,' She thought to herself.
Though she did hope they'd all be alright. She was sure that as a group that they could manage. Though considering how well they've been doing as a group so far…well, perhaps she should be really worried. Wren kept walking when she suddenly felt an animal presence near her.
She turned her head seeing a large snake behind her, and it appeared to be a cobra of sorts since it had its hood fanned out. The large hood not only offered the snake shade, but Wren as well. She heard a rattling noise, so she moved to the side a bit to see this cobra had a rattling tail like a rattle snake.
"Hmm, you're an interesting one, aren't you?" She commented.
As she said this, she didn't seem worried in the slightest even when the large serpent flashed its fangs at her as a threat Wren's eye started bleeding black and her red iris began to glow as a deep growling noise sounded in the back of her throat. At the noise, the snake froze in fear with its rattle abruptly halting. It started to sweat with its heart pounding loudly even after the growling stopped and Wren's eye returned to normal.
"I believe you understand now, yes?" Wren questioned it. "If anyone is prey here, it is you."
The snake nodded its head rapidly while hoping that she didn't try to attack it, which she wouldn't do. However, Wren didn't plan to tell it that. The snake remained perfectly still as Wren continued to stare at it.
"Good." Wren said. "Now, I need to find my friends, and you are going to help me by giving me a lift, yes?"
The snake nodded again then lowered its head down, so Wren could climb on top. Wren told the snake it could go, so it quickly started to slither across the desert. Since it was smaller than one of those Sandora Dragons it had greater speed than those lizards. Wren hummed to herself. Now she had good transportation. Now, she just had to make her decision…find the others? Or go straight to Rainbase?
'You shouldn't leave them behind. You know that,' Havel's thoughts filtered through her mind as he remained in the depths of her shadow.
'It would be in their best interest,' Wren thought back.
'Their best interest?' Havel echoed. 'Or yours?'
Wren didn't reply to his question as a small frown pulled across her face. They would be fine without her. They'll probably forget all about her soon enough.
"Where is she?! Where is Wren-chan?" Sanji cried as he ran around in circles. "Wren-chwan!~ My love, where could you have gone?!"
Zoro frowned at the cook then looked back to their captain who was freaking out after apparently eating bad cactus. Now he had two screaming idiots on his hands.
"Would you shut up, Ero-cook?!" Zoro snapped. "I'm sure that woman is fine! She can handle herself!"
Sanji stopped his crying to turn his visible eye on Zoro as it was set in a glare. Usopp and Chopper sighed knowing those two were about to really get into a fight, which isn't what they needed right now since their captain is already freaking.
"She is out there all alone, and you heard Vivi!" Sanji said. "There a lot of dangers in this desert! Anything could happen to Wren-chwan or our other two lovely ladies. But at least Nami and Vivi have that stupid camel. Wren has no one to protect her!"
"Did you forget about Havel?! Besides, she doesn't need anyone's protection!" Zoro retorted.
Sanji growled ready to start pummeling Zoro with his feet. The green-haired bastard should be more concerned about the lovely ladies of their ship.
"She might be with Ace." Chopper pointed out.
Zoro and Sanji blinked down at the doctor, who was holding a needle, while noticing Luffy knocked out at his hooves.
"Ace?" Sanji asked.
"Yeah." Chopper said nodding. "He isn't here either."
Sanji's eyes widened, and as he looked around, he saw that Ace really wasn't with them. That means Ace could be out there…alone…with Wren. The word alone repeated in his mind as his visible eye started to twitch.
"That just makes things worse!" Sanji said as he pulled his hair. "We have to find them before that bastard can get too close to Wren-chan!"
—SANJI'S HORRIBLE FANTASY—
"Come on, Wren, we're all alone now," Ace said to the young woman as he put his arms around her shoulders. "No one here to stop us, so you can stop pretending to hating me."
Wren frowned up at Ace, but she then gasped in surprise as Ace pulled her against his chest. She stared up into his eyes as he smiled down at her. She then scoffed as she turned her head to the side.
"Who said I'm pretending?" Wren asked.
Ace gently turned her back to facing him as he cupped her chin between his fingers.
"I know you, remember?" Ace replied with his own inquiry. "Besides, if you really hated me, would you let me do this?"
Ace then leaned down to put his face closer to Wren's face, which had the young woman's eyes widening. Though instead of pulling away, she remained perfectly still as he closed the gap between their lips.
—END OF SANJI'S HORRIBLE FANTASY—
"NOOOOO!" Sanji shouted. "I can't let that happen!"
Zoro and Usopp exchanged a glance as Sanji kept ranting about not wanting Ace trying to take advantage of Wren. They then shook their heads deciding they didn't wish to ask Sanji why he thought Ace would do such a thing.
"Let's just keep going." Zoro said as he grabbed Luffy by the ankle. "We need to catch up with Nami and Vivi then we can worry about Wren and Ace. Usopp, make sure that stupid cook follows us."
Usopp nodded his head then started pulling Sanji along even though he kept crying about Wren.
"Stop worrying so much." Usopp said. "I'm sure we'll see her before the sun even sets."
Sanji just whimpered since he wanted his darling Wren back. And just the thought of her being out their alone with Ace fill his stomach with bile. He just had to hope that Ace wasn't near her. Though…that meant his Wren would be all on her own in this dangerous desert.
'I want her safe and not alone, but I don't want that fireball with her either!' He thought as he pulled at his hair. 'I need to find her immediately!'
Coco: Well, that's the end of that for now, everyone. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. In the next, we'll see if Wren goes back to the others or decides to separate from them to fulfill her own goals.
