Author's Note: Welcome to Chapter 17, everyone! Lots of little plot bunnies in this chapter, so look closely ;) We have just a few 'arcs' left before the climax and I'm super excited for ya'll to read what I have planned hehe...ENJOY!
To Cookie1657: I'm so glad you enjoyed it and here's an update for you!
To livinganime14: Lu is gonna be the coolest lol, after he has some training XD
To hana-ya: Haha I couldn't help myself! I hope you enjoy the new chapter :)
To kuromi123: Bunny Luffy is the cutest thing ever and I love him~ Katakuri will be paying him a visit ;) Gotta read the chapter and see how things work out.
To 01evolava: You're welcome!
To Anis: Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm super excited that you like my story and I hope you enjoy the update :)
To Guest: Thank you! I'm super proud of this world and I always enjoy writing more for it. Hehe, you'll have to wait and see who the heir is *evil laugh* I hope you enjoy the update!
To hiroyildiz: I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far! I have many plans for this story so it will definitely keep going ;)
To Orangeneh97: Thank you! I'm so sorry for the wait but I hope you enjoy the update!
To RandomHuman191: Aw, you're so sweet! It always makes me happy to know that readers enjoy my writing and the worlds I build. Haha I have considered doing some of my own writing but life is a bit too crazy for me right now XD Maybe in the future though!
To AnonymousOPFan: Wow, thank you so much for the high praise! *blushes* I've worked very hard on this story (and my grammar lol) so it means a lot to hear that people enjoy it. I literally laughed out loud when you wondered if Nero died XD As for Kuma, you're definitely on the right track ;) I won't spoil anything for you regarding the heir to the throne hehe, it's a big plot point! Poor Lu gets kidnapped a lot, bless him. Ace and Sabo will be making more appearances as the story goes on. As for Blackbeard...we shall see :) Once again, thank you so much for the review and I hope you enjoy the update!
WARNINGS:
- Mentions of 'sleeping aids' (AKA drugs)
- Hancock being Hancock
- Luffy is adorable and wholesome
- Kidnapping (again lol)
Thank ya'll so much for the reviews! I read all of them and they always motivate me to sit down and write :)
"Sister…?" Sandersonia whispered as she peered into the guest room in question, searching for Hancock. They'd been so tired after the celebration that they'd accepted Viola's invitation to stay the night instead of returning to their portion of Amazon Lily. Now it was morning, and almost time for Luffy to leave for his homeland.
"Is she awake?" Marigold asked, peeking past Sonia into the dark quarters before them.
"I'm not sure…hold on."
The sisters slithered silently into the room, doing their best not to make any noise. Their elder sister was many things, but she definitely didn't enjoy being woken up early in the morning. When they reached the bed, their eyes grew wide.
Hancock was still asleep but what was truly shocking was the slumbering human curled up in her tail. Luffy looked dead to the world and comfortable amongst Hebìhime's scales, breathing slowly. Sandersonia and Marigold glanced at each other, unsure what to do. When had she…?
The sisters yelped quietly when Hancock stirred, unconsciously drawing Luffy closer to herself.
"…Sonia? Mari? Has the sun risen yet?"
"Y-Yes, Sister. Viola and the others are preparing a meal for us as we speak."
"I see…will one of you open the curtains? It's much too dark in here to see anything."
While Sonia stayed by Hancock's side, Marigold slid open the sage green curtains, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. Hebìhime yawned and wiped sleep from her eyes as she sat up, completely oblivious to the small human still caught in her grip.
"Luffy will be there, yes? I do hope he feels rested after yesterday."
"Uh, Sister…" Sonia managed, smiling sheepishly as she pointed to Hancock's tail, "I think you would know that better than the rest of us."
Hancock blinked in confusion before turning to look at the boy, eyes widening like she was seeing him for the first time. Hebìhime squeaked and her face went red as she quickly looked between Sonia and Luffy.
"H-How…I swear, I-I didn't-"
The lamia Queen squeaked again when Luffy whined quietly in his sleep, snuggling further into the warmth of Hancock's tail.
"You mean you don't remember how this happened?" Marigold hissed, slithering up to gently dislodge a still asleep Luffy from Hancock's tail and hold him gently in her arms. The kid just made himself comfortable, his eyes showing no signs of him waking fully.
"No! I-I don't…I mean I would never-" Hancock smoothed out her nightgown and exhaled shakily in an attempt to calm herself, "Perhaps Luffy simply couldn't find rest without me and snuck in!"
"I seriously doubt that Sister…no offense." Marigold continued, growing concerned at Luffy's lack of a response, "We should ask the guards, maybe they saw something."
"Oh, there's no need for that." A voice called from the doorway, drawing their attention. It was Viola, and she looked suspiciously amused, "I thought for sure you'd like your…present." Marigold frowned when the Queen started to laugh.
"So it wassss you!" Hancock hissed while Viola simply wiped tears from her eyes, "What did you do to my sweet Luffy!"
"Nothing serious, adelfí. Don't worry, he'll be fine." The Queen continued as she walked further into the room, "I just slipped a little something into his drink to help him sleep and thought, what better place for him to rest than with you?"
Hancock made to say something but stopped and began to run her fingers through her hair.
"Well, you're not wrong…but I still don't like you messing with my love!"
Viola winked at Hancock before reaching out to take Luffy from Marigold. The sisters watched (Hancock especially) as the Queen arranged the human in the large bed, covering him with the light pink sheets.
"He'll probably sleep a few more hours, so we have time to make ready for his departure. Come, there are things to be done!"
Luffy woke up feeling a bit…confused.
'How did I get here?' He thought, pushing himself up on his elbows so he could get a better look at the ridiculously large, canopy bed with pink sheets. Glancing down at himself, Luffy noted he wore shorts and an extra-large shirt that he definitely didn't remember changing into.
…weird.
Figuring someone had helped him out, Luffy decided not to think about it too much and swung his legs over the edge of the bed so he could stretch his back. Despite the weird circumstances of his awakening, he felt more rested than he had in a long time.
"Ah, you're awake!" Someone said, prompting him to look up towards the door.
"Oh, hi Marguerite!" Luffy greeted, smiling at the lamia, "Good morning!"
"Good morning." Marguerite repeated while moving towards him, "I trust you had a good…er…rest?"
"Sure did!" He replied while standing to his feet, "I don't really know why, but I feel great! Ne, where is everybody? Is there breakfast?"
"I bet you did…damn Queen…drugging Hebìhime's interest…" The lamia muttered, making Luffy tilt his head in confusion, but he was quickly distracted by her next statement, "The Valera have made quite the feast in honor of your departure, but first we have to get you presentable. Come, there are baths this way."
Luffy allowed himself to be led through the large tree and into what looked like a bath house of sorts. He waved at the lamia and Valera who were already there, curious if they were going to take a bath to. Many of them stared intently at him as he passed.
"We have prepared a bath for you over here." Marguerite explained, motioning to a sectioned off part of the area, "Please let us know if you need anything." Luffy stepped back when a cacophony of voices echoed through the springs as all the females who were preparing themselves to bathe volunteered their services.
"Erm…I think I'm okay…thanks though." Luffy managed before slipping behind the curtain. A few minutes later, he relaxed into the warm water, sighing contently.
The actual bath itself wasn't very large but boy was it comfortable. Luffy gently ran his thumb over the Valera's mark on his wrist, smiling to himself. Not only had he succeeded in making a pact, he'd somehow managed to make two! Though it hadn't started out well, his trip was turning out to be a big success.
Luffy gazed down at the other mark, the one he'd gotten from Hancock. Utilizing his Naga abilities would be a little trickier, but if he could master it…
He'd grow exponentially stronger.
With that thought in mind, Luffy quickly finished up bathing himself and slipped on the simple outfit Marguerite had left out for him. It was similar to the one he wore at the party but the shirt was a deep maroon color this time. Salivating slightly at the thought of breakfast, Luffy rushed out to find Marguerite.
He was ready for some food!
When Luffy trotted into the banquet hall, his eyes sparkled with wonder. The table was huge and covered in food.
"Wow, is this all for me!?"
"Anything for you…darling." Hancock whispered while Viola simply nodded from her place at the head of the table and motioned for him to take a seat between her and the lamia Empress. Luffy quickly made his way to the indicated chair and sat down, taking in the incredible spread before him.
However, before he could start eating, Viola stood up and addressed the gathered crowd.
"Today, we celebrate our new warrior, Luffy, as he sets out to return to his home. He has achieved great things during his short time here and-"
So distracted by the food within reach, the younger ranger tuned out most of Viola's speech. He licked his lips but looked up when he felt someone's eyes on him. Across the table, Rebecca and Carrot waved at him, making him smile and return the greeting.
"-and now we eat!"
'Don't have to tell me twice!' Luffy thought while shoving a bread roll into his mouth. Beside him, Hancock blushed at his 'appetite' while Viola simply laughed and encouraged him to eat as much as he liked. All in all, the banquet was a lot of fun but once it was over, Luffy was ready to start the journey back to the Ranger Base. His time limit was approaching and he didn't want to be late.
"Ne, Hammock, where's all my stuff?" Luffy asked after licking his plate clean.
"Ah, you mean the items you brought with you from the other world." The Empress clarified while blushing and refusing to look him in the eye, "We have everything ready for you on the platform."
After one last goodbye to his new friends, Luffy followed Hancock and Viola to the 'platform', whatever that was. Turns out, it was a large, wooden platform built high up in the canopy. Sonia and Mari were waiting for them along with a few Valera attendants.
"We collected what we could find of your things in the river but your satchel wasn't salvageable, I'm afraid." Sonia explained before handing him an unfamiliar black bag that slung across his body, "Our seamstresses made this for you as a replacement."
"Wow, thanks!" He chirped, taking a moment to rifle through it and see what he had left. None of his clothes were there but the slingshot, knife, and whistle (thankfully), survived. Luffy hummed when he pulled out a small, blue crystal attached to a woven string. "What's this?"
"That is an aithéra crystal." Viola explained, "It is essentially a marker that will allow you to come directly to Amazon Lily instead of traveling to Louloùdi via the Ranger Base. Its magic will make future visits more convenient."
"T-There will be future visits…right?" Hancock asked, shuffling nervously on the platform. Luffy grinned and closed his hand around the crystal.
"Of course!"
"Good answer." Viola put in, ruffling his hair, "Now, change into your Valera form…you're going to need it."
Though he was confused, Luffy swiftly stuffed the crystal into an inside pocket of his new bag and swung it around his body, tightening it until it was secure. Inhaling deeply, his body morphed into that of a Valera, making him feel light…like he could touch the sky if he wanted to. Hancock made a cooing sound and stroked one of his ears, causing it to twitch.
Viola nodded in approval.
"Good. Now, summon the Leapers!" One of her subordinates nodded at the order and raised a horn to her lips that, once blown, released a high-pitched call that echoed down into the forest below. Luffy watched in awe as little, fury creatures flew up to them, mewing as they approached.
"Aw, they're so cute!" He exclaimed, immediately holding out his hands so one of the 'Leapers' could land there. When one did, he examined it closer while petting its head. The small beast looked like a cat with hawk wings and it was very friendly, rubbing its cheeks against Luffy's shoulder.
"Not the most elegant way to travel…" Hancock muttered, causing the Leaper in Luffy's arms to hiss at her.
"Maybe not for lamia, but for Valera, it's very efficient." Viola explained while scratching a larger Leaper under its chin, "You all are simply too heavy."
"Can't deny that…" Marigold muttered, shying away from a curious Leaper that attempted to sniff her.
"So how does this work?" Luffy asked excitedly as two more Leapers landed on his shoulders, purring up a storm. Viola smirked and whistled loudly, prompting a group of the cat-like creatures to start circling her. Suddenly, the Queen turned and sprinted towards the edge of the platform, falling the second she stepped off the edge.
He gasped and rushed over to look for the Valera but was forced backwards by a strong gust of wind. His worry swiftly morphed into amazement as Viola sprang back up into view, still circled by six Leapers.
"Allow me to explain." One of the attendants said after clearing their throat, "Leapers have the ability to control air currents and can, therefore, give Valera support while they jump. This is possible thanks to our bone structure and light bodies. It's different from flying…but it allows us to jump and glide much farther than we naturally can."
"Oh, I wanna try!" Luffy chirped, causing the Leapers he was holding to meow in agreement. Before he could jump off the platform, someone put a hand on his shoulder.
"L-Luffy…" Hancock managed, tail swishing behind her, "When shall I…I-I mean we expect you to return?"
"Um…probably soon." He answered, pushing his lips together in thought, "I think Shanks mentioned us coming back to train with the tribes that we contract with-"
"Great!" The Empress interrupted, clapping her hands together happily, "We shall eagerly await your return."
Luffy grinned and hugged Hancock around her waist, making the lamia go completely still.
"Yeah! See you next time, Hancock. Thanks for everything!"
With that, he stepped over to the edge of the platform and glanced around to the four Leapers circling him. Counting down from three, Luffy stepped off the ledge and felt his stomach move up into his throat, but the sensation of falling didn't last long. Before he knew it, gentle gusts of wind cradled him, slowing his fall.
Giggling in excitement, Luffy pushed off the top of a nearby tree, accelerating his body through the air in a horizontal direction. It really did feel like he was flying!
"You're getting it." Viola praised, coming up on his left with her own group of Leapers, "Come, let's get you back to the Ranger Base."
"S-Sister, stay with us!" Sonia cried as Marigold held the flushed Empress.
"H-H-He…called me 'Hancock'." The lamia muttered, eyes glazed over and tail limp with shock.
"Someone call a doctor!"
Luffy and Viola reached the base in record time, landing just a few miles away from the entrance. The boy giggled when a tabby purred in his ear and nudged his face affectionately. Leapers were so cute!
"I see those four have taken a liking to you." Viola noted with amusement as the cats climbed all over him, one even nestling itself between his rabbit ears, "Leapers are very loyal creatures and will come when you call them."
"Really? Shishishi, maybe I should name them then." He mused, earning yowls of agreement.
While Viola readied what she called his 'summoning horn', Luffy busied himself naming his new Leaper friends. The first two cats were orange so he named them Pancake and Waffles. The third cat was super sweet, so Luffy decided to call her Cookie. The last Leaper was the smallest and had a striped pattern on his back, so he became Strudel.
The Leapers seemed pleased with their new names and zoomed around his head, meowing in happiness as they went.
"Keep this and the crystal with you whenever you return." Viola instructed, handing him the horn. It wasn't very large and could easily fit inside one of his pockets. "I wish you well, Luffy. Come back anytime."
"Mn!" He affirmed, giving Cookie one last pet before trotting off towards the Ranger Base. Luffy reverted to his human form when the gate came into view since he wanted to make sure his transformation was a surprise for his classmates. Robin sat in a chair not far from the entrance, reading a book like she'd been when he left. She looked up when he passed the threshold and inclined her head in greeting.
"Welcome back. I trust you were successful?"
"Sure was! Ne, has anybody else come back yet?" Robin closed her book before answering.
"Actually, you are the last one. Shall we return to The Mesa together?"
Luffy practically bounced after the older ranger, waving to Benn and some of the others manning the base. While Robin opened the portal, he glanced over his shoulder at the beautiful forests behind him. He couldn't wait to come back and get more training in his new forms!
All too soon, they stepped away from Louloùdi and back onto Portal Pasture, where the rest of the ranger class was waiting. Luffy was pleased to see that all of his friends made it back and didn't look too injured. Chopper immediately waved him over.
"Thank goodness you're okay! Did you make a pact?" Luffy nodded and showed off the Valera's mark.
"Yeah. What about you?"
After asking around the group, it looked like a good portion of the class succeeded in making a pact. There were a few who apparently didn't make it through the week and had already left the Pasture.
"Three in my group had to be taken back early to be treated." Shuraiya whispered to Luffy, "I think they got in over their heads…Lucci had to rescue them."
He hummed at that, hoping they were okay.
"All right, all right, settle down!" Shanks yelled, prompting all the students to be quiet, "As you know, we had a few dropouts…which is sad, but the good news is that they're alive and will get another chance to pass next year. As for all of you, congratulations!"
Luffy beamed at the praise and claps of their instructors.
"Now, the time you've all been waiting for…the big reveal! When I call your name, come up here and show us your pacts." Luffy and the other students fidgeted around in the grass, anxious for their turn. He could tell that everyone was super excited to show off what they'd earned in the other worlds.
Camie was first. She walked nervously up to the teachers and whispered something in Shanks' ear. He grinned and called up the older ranger lady, Kalifa. Luffy's eyes lit up in wonder as the ranger transformed before their eyes into what could only be a type of fish-person. She held her arms up, causing a large bubble of water to form in the air. Just as she finished prepping the bubble, Camie jumped into it, suddenly growing a tail of her own.
"Woah…" Shuraiya whispered, whistling under his breath, "A mermaid, huh?"
Luffy clapped and cheered for Camie, making the girl blush and bow slightly from within the bubble.
Kaya was next, and she stood before them looking a little sunburned, but proud. She held her hands together, causing them to glow. The light moved out from her hands until it covered her whole body, and when it subsided, Kaya had wings. Luffy's eyes sparkled at her new form, angelic in appearance. What was truly amazing about Kaya's form was that it was almost mechanical. Even her wings appeared to be made out of shiny gold, which essentially meant she was an angel robot…which was awesome.
Chopper tried to correct him by telling him the actual name of that race of creatures, but Luffy decided that calling her an 'angel robot' was easier.
Nero didn't seem all that pleased with his creature of choice but transformed into it at Shanks' insistence. Luffy blinked at his new form, unsure what it was. To him, it looked like a giant rodent of some kind…or maybe a beaver? In height, Nero came up to about Luffy's shoulder, so it was definitely big…just not super impressive.
"If you'd just let me go to Skotàdi-" Nero started in his slightly higher pitched rodent voice, only to be silenced by Shanks.
"You know why we couldn't let you go. Don't worry, you have a good amount of mana…you'll have other chances to make pacts." Nero glared at Luffy as he trudged back to the group. What was he mad at him for?
Shuraiya ended up earning the form of an Ifrit, or a flame spirit. This was apparently pretty impressive and he looked awesome when he transformed. Though not terribly big, he appeared almost humanoid but was covered in scales and had two large horns on his head that looked like antlers. Flames covered the horns and were scattered across his body, giving him almost a demonic appearance. When he summoned them, Shuraiya's wings were also made of flame and allowed him to soar through the air with ease.
Coby's transformation was definitely the most shocking. He looked so timid and unsure when he made his way up to the front but when he requested that everyone move back, Luffy noticed a spark of confidence in the shy boy's face. His grin grew when Coby began his transformation, albeit slowly. Apparently turning into a massive Elemental Golem took a while. Shuraiya flew up and did a quick measurement of the pink-haired kid, clocking him at an incredible eight meters tall.
In golem form, Coby was also broad and had a unique body structure. He was made up of rocks held together with water that constantly flowed like blood around them. Luffy laughed when Coby shuffled nervously in his massive body and shook the ground around him in the process.
So cool!
Chopper was next and did his best to avoid falling into the hole created by Coby's massive feet. His transformation was a bit simpler but Luffy felt that it fit him. He turned into a good sized deer with large antlers and a soft looking coat. According to his friend, this particular race had lots of different forms and the traditional 'reindeer' was just one of them.
Bartolomeo wasted no time turning into his creature form, that of a Genbu, which was essentially a turtle that walked on two legs. He bragged about how hard his new shell was, making Luffy giggle softly to himself. Everyone seemed so happy with their pacts (except Nero), which in turn, made Luffy happy for them.
"Luffy, you ready?" Shanks asked, prompting him to all but leap to his feet.
"Yeah! You guys are going to love this!"
Luffy got a running start and flipped into the air, changing into a Valera before he hit the ground. Chopper's eyes had sparkles in them while the others leaned forward in interest, examining his most obvious feature: the ears.
"Aww…you're so cute!" Kaya cooed alongside Camie, "What race is that?"
"Valera." Luffy answered, turning around to show off his tail.
"You look dumb." Nero called, prompting Shuraiya to elbow him in the ribs. Luffy just laughed and basked in the attention.
"Nicely done, Luffy." Shanks said, walking up to him to flick one of his ears, "You're the first student in a long time to succeed in making a pact with the Kuja ad Valera."
"Shishishi, thanks! They were all really nice, though they tried to kill me at first…" He trailed off, dismissing the fact that that incident happened, "Oh yeah, guess what? I have another one!" Shanks blinked down at him in surprise and motioned for him to lift up his wrists.
"Well I'll be damned…you did make two pacts. Though this one…hmmm…"
"I know, I don't have enough mana." Luffy finished, closing one eye in a teasing manner, "So…could I borrow some of yours?" Shanks sighed and smiled at him for a moment before nodding.
"Sure kid, knock yourself out."
Luffy gently placed his hand on Shanks' shoulder and absorbed just enough so he could hold his Naga transformation for a few minutes at least. When he started to change, his classmates gasped and Coby feinted in fright.
"And thissss is my Naga form." Luffy said, spinning around so the class could see his tail. Almost immediately, he was swarmed by people trying to touch the scales and ask him questions about how he made two pacts. Poor Chopper hid behind Coby's unconscious body, too scared to approach him. All too soon, his form dissipated, leaving him back in his human body.
"And that's that. If everyone would please return to their human forms and take a seat, we'll continue." Shanks put in, corralling everyone back into a clump on the grass. Luffy grinned when Shuraiya punched him on the shoulder playfully, giving him a look that said, 'good job'. "I'm happy to report that all of you have successfully passed this class and taken your first steps as proper rangers. Things are going to be a bit different from now on…so listen up."
Luffy leaned forward onto his knees in anticipation.
"First of all, starting next semester, you will have the opportunity to form teams with the summoner students to complete jobs, assignments, and other school related tasks. I suggest you all attend the upcoming Summoner Exhibition to scout out potential teammates." Luffy vibrated in excitement at the mention of the Exhibition. That meant he finally got to see his summoner friends in action! "Also, now that you all have made pacts, you are eligible to take training courses from our resident creature expert, Kaku, down at the stables. If you pass those, you'll be allowed to take out creatures for your jobs, so keep that in mind."
He was definitely looking forward to that. Luffy desperately wanted to take Sunny for a ride…if she let him.
"Additionally, as a class, you all need to decide on a 'class representative'…a leader." Shanks explained, prompting some whispers in the group, "This is because, on top of your teams with the summoner students, we will be taking the whole class out into the other worlds fairly regularly, and you need someone to serve as your leader when off The Mesa. I'm all ears if anyone has recommendations?"
Shuraiya quickly raised his hand.
"I nominate Luffy." He said, making Luffy straighten in surprise, "He really stepped up during the midterm exam incident."
"I second that." Kaya added, eyeing him softly. Luffy looked around as more and more students put their votes in, making his heart swell with happiness. Shanks smirked and motioned for them to put their hands down.
"Then it's decided. Luffy, you are officially the Class Rep for the first year ranger students. Come by my office tomorrow so you can sign the paperwork."
"O-Okay." He stuttered, blushing slightly when all his friends crowded around him, hugging him tightly. Ace and Sabo would be so proud of him!
"Finally, let me lay some ground rules." Shanks continued, drawing out groans from the majority of the class, "I know, I know…but these are important and breaking them could be grounds for expulsion, so don't take them lightly. First, you may only transform into your other forms with permission from a teacher and in the appropriate environment. This is for both your safety and that of the other students. You are all still new rangers and could seriously hurt someone. The only exception to this rule is if it's an emergency."
That made sense but Luffy was bummed it would be hard to show Zoro and the others his new abilities.
"Second, you may not travel to the other worlds without permission. Our goal is to train you while keeping you safe…so please, don't be stupid." Shanks said, looking serious, "Third, per school policy, you may not have any weapons on your person except when training. I imagine some of you may get used to this in the other worlds, but please don't forget to put them away before going to class. Any questions?"
The group was silent.
"Then you're dismissed." Shanks stated with a cheeky grin, "You've all earned a good rest."
By the time he returned to Quiet Creek, it was late. This was because Luffy and the rest of his ranger classmates begged Lucci to let them use the Arena to show off more of their new forms, to which he reluctantly agreed. They stayed there for hours until Lucci ordered them to go back to their dorms.
Luffy hummed happily to himself as he entered the dorm, everything a lot quieter than normal. He supposed it was pretty late, but hopefully Zoro and Usopp would still be awake.
'I want to tell them all about my fieldwork!'
The boy trotted up the stairs and down the hall, pleased to see a light on in his and Zoro's room. When he opened the door, his green-haired friend looked up, eyes brightening.
"Hey, you're back."
"Yeah!" Luffy replied before bouncing over to hug Zoro, "And I made two pacts!"
"Two? I thought you could barely make one?"
Luffy changed out of his 'Valera' clothes and into his pajamas (which consisted of an oversized t-shirt and shorts) before sitting down and telling Zoro about everything that happened while he was in Louloùdi. He could tell his friend had been nervous for him but seeing Luffy back and in one piece seemed to help ease his worries.
"I'll have to show you and the others my forms tomorrow." Luffy said while swinging his legs back and forth off the edge of the bed, "There's lots of rules about changing and stuff so it'll probably have to be at the Arena."
"I'm sure everyone will be down for it." Zoro responded while cleaning one of his swords, "Finals are over so Usopp is feeling a little less stressed but we still have the Exhibition coming up."
"Are you taking part in it?" Luffy asked, knowing it wasn't required, just encouraged. Lots of high ranking summoners and scouts attended the end of the semester Exhibition looking for new recruits.
"Yeah, most of us are. I think the only one who isn't is Nami…said she isn't interested."
Luffy's smile fell at the mention of the orange-haired girl. He wondered how she was doing…
"Anyway, why don't we get some sleep. It's late, and I think we're both tired."
"Shishishi, okay!" He chirped, standing up to gather his toiletries, "You can go ahead and go to bed, I'm gonna take a shower." Zoro grunted in understanding as Luffy left the room and padded softly down the quiet hallway.
When he entered the bathroom, Luffy put his bundle down in the shower, turned on the water to get it warmed up, and exited the stall to use the restroom. After doing his business, he approached the sink and gazed at himself in the mirror. He didn't look too bad for having spent a whole week in another world. Just had a few cuts on his face that were healing up.
Luffy smiled to himself, thinking about all the good things he had to look forward to.
Just as he was about to turn away and return to the shower, the mirror rippled. Blinking, Luffy rubbed his eyes and looked again, confused when it looked normal. Maybe he was seeing things…he was tired-
Suddenly, a clawed hand reached through the surface of the mirror and grabbed him, smothering his shocked yelp with a palm over his mouth. Before Luffy could even think to do anything or fight back, he was dragged into the mirror, causing him to black out almost instantly.
Luffy woke up extremely disoriented. Somehow he could tell that he was lying on something hard, but there were so many colors around him that it caused his already blurry vision to distort further. Feeling slightly sick, Luffy sat up slowly and tried to get his bearings.
As expected, the weird place he was in was very colorful and full of mirrors. Everywhere he looked, there was a mirror. Glancing down at himself, Luffy noted he was still in his pajamas and shoeless, but nothing else seemed to have changed. Still, he stood to his feet warily, recognizing that he was potentially in danger.
"You're awake." An unfamiliar voice boomed, echoing through the strange space. Luffy spun around to see who spoke and his eyes widened. The being in question was huge and obviously a demon, though his wings were folded behind him at the moment. His scarlet eyes observed Luffy closely, making him feel uncomfortable. A large trident rested against the wall near the demon, within reach. "I apologize for the rough handling but I couldn't let you alert any of your protectors to my presence."
"Who're you?" Luffy asked, instinctively tensing up when the demon stepped away from the wall, allowing his wings room to breathe.
"My name is Charlotte Katakuri."
"What do you want with me?" He quickly followed up, worried he was connected to those other demons who'd tried to abduct him while he was trapped in Skotàdi. The creature, Katakuri apparently, didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked to an open space to his left and raised his hand, causing the ground beneath them to shake.
Luffy watched with an open mouth as what looked like chairs were formed out of the ground, almost like it was clay.
"We'll get to that, but first…come sit. You look a bit ill."
"…and who's fault is that…?" Luffy muttered indignantly, shuffling as he considered what he should do. Without moving, he channeled his mana sight and almost threw up at the ridiculous mana he saw coming from the demon. It was blood red and swirled around Katakuri like fire. The mana was so potent, it practically filled the whole area.
Who was this guy!?
Then, just as suddenly as it was there, it lessened, retreating back into Katakuri like water down a drain.
"Do you now understand the situation you're in?" The demon questioned, eyeing him like he knew Luffy would use his mana sight at that moment, "You're outmatched, little one, so I suggest you do as you're told."
Luffy immediately recognized that the release of mana had been an intimidation tactic and he was ashamed to say it worked. His legs shook slightly from the pressure of the demon's power. Still, he was never one to lie down on command. Luffy's hand went to his wrist, where the mark of the Valera was. Maybe he could-
"You are free to transform if you wish," Katakuri interrupted, scarlet eyes moving down to where Luffy's hand rested, "but I warn you, it won't change anything."
"How do you know!?" Luffy hissed, preparing to channel the mana required to change. Katakuri flapped his wings and leaned forward slightly.
"Because I can see the future, child. If you choose to fight me, you will lose and our conversation will be that much more unpleasant." Luffy grit his teeth, somehow feeling in his gut that Katakuri probably wasn't lying. "So, come…sit."
Still, even if he was telling the truth, Luffy refused to not try.
"No! Let me out of here!" He yelled while shifting into his Valera form. Luffy felt dangerously exposed in his thin pajamas but it wasn't like he had any other choice but to fight. At his growl, Katakuri sighed and sat down in the larger chair, extending his fingers to summon the trident to his palm. Luffy tensed at the sight of the weapon but the demon put it down seconds after grabbing it.
"I'm afraid I can't do that…not until I get the information I seek."
"Then I'll make you let me go!" Luffy snarled before launching himself at Katakuri.
Charlotte Katakuri hadn't been sure what to expect from the mysterious human when he finally got him alone, but having the kid throw himself at him like a feral cat certainly was amusing. He saw it coming, of course, and easily caught the boy around the waist before he reached him, drawing frustrated noises from the trapped human.
"Put me down!"
"You make a lot of demands, little one." Katakuri stated, tightening his grip slightly when the human tried to bite him, "Why don't you just calm down and-"
He stopped when the ranger's skin started to feel hot to the touch. Quickly, Katakuri tossed the kid into the chair he'd made for him before he got burned and called on his magic to keep the boy there. As expected, the small human hissed and snarled as he tried to free himself, but Katakuri's magic was strong and wrapped itself around his captive's limbs, effectively pinning him down.
Katakuri made sure to keep his hands secure as that was the main weapon an un-armed ranger had. That is, with the exception of agitating his own mana as he'd done when held in Katakuri's hand. It was an impressively creative way to fight back when his hands were trapped, but it wouldn't be enough to break his new shackles.
Ignoring the kid's hissing, Katakuri used his magic to expose the mark of the Valera and placed a single finger on it. He felt a little bad when the human barely withheld a pained yelp, but this was necessary if they were to have a civil conversation. When he was finished, a glowing red 'X' of his mana sat on top of the mark, effectively sealing it, albeit temporarily.
The boy's ears quickly vanished and his belligerent expression morphed into one of shock.
"W-What did you do?"
"I made it so you can't transform, at least for a little while." Katakuri explained while returning to his own seat. As he walked, he formed walls around them, to give them privacy. Though the Mirror Realm was generally a safe place, you never knew who would try to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Now…are you ready to talk?"
The human fixed him with a harsh glare, giving him his silent answer.
Katakuri watched as his little captive continued to struggle, eyes silver as he attempted to free himself. He supposed he could blindfold the ranger if he continued to use his mana to try to escape…that would force him to concentrate on their conversation, but he didn't want to do that unless he had no other choice.
In his experience with rangers, taking away their sight tended to make them shut down and that's not what he wanted.
"What's your name?" Katakuri asked when the boy finally stopped struggling after tiring himself out. When the human glared at him again, he decided to try a different approach. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me, I have other ways of finding out."
"You gonna look through my memories like the other jerks?" The boy questioned, looking a bit anxious. Katakuri frowned at the human's question.
"There have been others?" The memory probe was a high level technique that not many could use. Who had gotten their hands on the boy before him? Hopefully not Kaido's men.
"Why do you people keep kidnapping me!?" The human exclaimed through gritted teeth, ignoring Katakuri's inquiry while straining in an attempt to pull his right arm out of the hard substance that surrounded it, "I just want to go to school, hang out with my friends, and have adventures, damn it! That's hard to do when you guys keep dragging me through the ocean, and mirrors-"
It was clear the human was annoyed and apparently a target for frequent kidnapping. While it was rather entertaining to watch the kid mumble and glare, Katakuri didn't have all day. He stood and approached the boy, causing him to stop talking. When he knelt down and looked into his eyes to start the spell, he was surprised when the ranger put up a shield in an attempt to stop him.
"Not bad, but it's clear you don't have the training to stop me…not yet." Katakuri said before breaking through the kid's shield, successfully revealing his memories. The human grimaced in discomfort when his mind was rifled through, understandably so. It was not a particularly pleasant process.
"So…your name is Luffy." Katakuri muttered, earning him a scowl, "I apologize, this may take a while. Relax, and it won't hurt as much."
Unlike the other times he'd been the victim of the spell, Katakuri looked through his memories one by one, slowly. He tried to relax but it was hard when your past flashed before your eyes as they were literally torn from your consciousness. Katakuri lingered on a few memories in particular: the first being his interactions with Kuma when he was a kid. The rest of them included his time in Skotàdi and as Tesoro's prisoner. The demon didn't seem particularly interested in his time at the Academy but did rewind one memory of him and Zoro to watch it again. It was the one right after Mihawk had grabbed him in the hall of the dorm…when Zoro put up all those talismans.
"Interesting…very interesting." Katakuri whispered to himself before finally letting Luffy go, allowing him to fall forward with a gasp. While he caught his breath, the demon returned to his seat and crossed his arms like he was thinking. "You are quite fascinating, Monkey D. Luffy. Congratulations on finishing your first semester, by the way…and to get Class Representative, impressive."
"Thanks…I think." Luffy replied, swallowing in an attempt to wet his dry throat, "So, are you gonna kill me now? Or take me back to your Boss?" Katakuri raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you think I want to kill you?" Luffy shrugged.
"I dunno…you're a bad guy, right? That's what bad guys do."
Katakuri chuckled at his question.
"I'm a 'bad guy', hmmm? Well, I suppose you're right about that. We creatures are often seen as enemies to humanity, especially those of us from Skotàdi." Katakuri relaxed against the back of his chair before continuing. "Don't worry, young one, I have no intention of killing you or bringing you to Mama. My only desire was to obtain information and I have almost all that I need."
"Then…you'll let me go?" Luffy questioned, wondering inwardly who 'Mama' was.
"Yes, but first, I have a question." Katakuri stated, scarlet eyes glowing, "What do you know about the Demon King?"
"Erm, that's the guy that rules Skotàdi, right?" He answered, scrunching up his nose a little as he recalled what they'd been taught in class, "Shanks said they've been gone for a long time."
"That's correct, but recently, Kaido received a divination that said the heir to the throne is alive." Katakuri continued, making Luffy frown. What did all this have to do with him? "…they think the heir is you, Luffy."
"W-What!?" He stuttered, eyes blown wide, "But I'm not a demon!"
"Yes, I know…it's all very complicated." Katakuri replied, motioning for him to calm down, "Our clan's matriarch isn't convinced and, frankly, neither am I. None of your past indicates a connection to the Demon King's bloodline and yet…"
Luffy bit the inside of his cheek when Katakuri huffed and stood up again.
"…but enough of this. I imagine you are quite tired of this conversation." His face brightened when, with a motion of his hand, Katakuri released him from the chair. Luffy immediately stood to his feet and rubbed his arms where the restraints held him down. He also caused the 'X' on his mark to vanish, re-establishing his connection to the Valera's mana he held within him. "Come, I shall return you to The Mesa."
Luffy obediently followed the demon out of the makeshift house and back into the weird mirror world. Katakuri seemed to know where he was going, so he padded after him, pulling his shirt up over his shoulder when it fell down his arm. Luffy eyed his captor closely, examining his blood red mana. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he absorbed some of it…would he be able to see the future to?
Trotting up when Katakuri got a little too far ahead of him, Luffy decided to be impulsive and jumped onto the demon's tail, grabbing hold of it and siphoning some of his mana.
"Oi-" The demon started, attempting to reach down and pry him off his tail. For Luffy's part, he was majorly regretting his decision. Katakuri's mana was incredibly chaotic and ancient. It reminded him of Sulong, and not in a good way. He released the tail and grabbed his head, trying to get the images to stop. "-get a hold of yourself!"
Luffy saw a great battle, along with himself and his classmates. He saw scary monsters and powerful summoners…but he also saw that they were going to struggle, and probably lose. He saw Katakuri and other familiar faces from Skotàdi, all stalking towards the outnumbered humans.
Luffy saw Zoro, stabbed through by a familiar, tiny dagger. He gasped as his friend collapsed at the feet of his golden-eyed enemy, the hawk-demon appearing almost sad-
"Luffy!" A voice yelled, finally drawing him back to reality. Katakuri held him up the back of his collar and looked displeased. "That was unwise, boy."
"S-Sorry…I was just curious." Luffy managed, the scene of Zoro getting stabbed playing over and over again in his head. "Was all that…real?" Katakuri frowned.
"You saw something?"
"Mn. People fighting and…other stuff. Like…darkness. Lots of darkness." He had a hard time putting into words what the vision had shown him and he hoped Katakuri wouldn't re-think his decision to let him go because of it. Luffy yelped when the demon held him closer, frown deepening.
For the first time since capturing Luffy, Katakuri felt concerned. His mana was unique to him and shouldn't react to anyone else, let alone a human. The fact that the boy actually saw visions that Katakuri himself had seen (and likely some he hadn't), was very concerning.
What also worried him was the fact that his future sight hadn't alerted him to Luffy's leap onto his tail…like it'd hidden the event from him.
'What should I do…?' He mused, taking in the boy's skinny form. Katakuri supposed the proper thing to do would be to make good on Luffy's fear and take him back to Skotàdi with him for further investigation and experimentation, but he really didn't want to do that. The human was still just a child he'd all but stolen from his bed.
The future they'd both seen was coming, and currently, it ended with their victory. Normally, he'd just let fate take its course but…
'I should take precautions, just in case.' Katakuri determined, switching his grasp so Luffy was caught in his grip again. If the humans learned of the fate that awaited them, it could cause trouble, and potentially tragedy, for his family. He couldn't let that happen. It was his job as second eldest to protect his siblings from threats.
So he'd make sure Luffy couldn't tell anyone what he saw.
"What're you doing?" The boy managed, attempting to shy away from the ball of condensed mana Katakuri created in his opposite hand, "I thought you said you weren't going to kill me!"
"I'm not going to kill you…but I cannot allow you to warn your people." Katakuri said, slowing bringing the scarlet orb closer to Luffy's head, "It's nothing personal, little one…but I must protect my family, and right now, your knowledge is a threat."
Luffy grunted when the mana made contact with his temple, slowly absorbing into his body. Katakuri would use a tiny portion of his mana to seal away what the boy saw, preventing him from speaking of it. Unfortunately, the only permanent way to silence him was to kill him, so this would have to do.
Though Luffy saw him as a 'bad guy', he wasn't so cruel to kill a defenseless human child. Especially not one whose mana seemed to resonate with his own for some reason.
Plus, this method had another perk to it. Infusing some of his own mana into Luffy's body allowed him to form an invisible connection to the boy, one that would likely be useful in the future. He hadn't been planning to do this…but he had no choice now that Luffy had peeked into Pandora's Box.
"Ouch…what was that?" Luffy whispered, looking a bit dazed from the infusion process. Katakuri gently placed him back on the ground, where he stumbled and fell onto his foot.
"I've placed a seal on your knowledge of the future. You will find that no matter how much you wish to speak of it…your voice will fail you." Luffy's lip curled slightly at that.
"You suck!"
"That's fair. I suppose I could just kill you but-" Luffy huffed and looked away from him.
"Just send me home…please." Katakuri smirked under his scarf when the boy finally said something minutely respectful. He was learning.
"As you wish."
Luffy cried out softly as he crashed onto the bathroom tile after being flung unceremoniously through the mirror by Katakuri. He spun around to send the demon one last glare but the mirror had already returned to normal. Inhaling sharply, Luffy shakily stood to his feet, eyeing the bruises that were already forming on his arms and legs from his intense struggle.
Why did this keep happening to him?
He could hear the water from his attempt at a shower still going so he padded into the room to turn it off, figuring it was cold by now. Luffy's eyes widened when he felt the water and it was still hot. Confused, he rushed out into the hallway to check the time and was surprised to see that only a few minutes had passed since Katakuri grabbed him.
'Well, no sense in wasting a good shower!'
After the very refreshing rinse, he put his pajamas back on and stopped in front of the mirror before returning to his room. If he used his mana sight and looked at just the right angle, Luffy could see little ripples of scarlet mana under his skin.
He wasn't sure what Katakuri did to him…but it couldn't be good.
'I should tell Shanks what happened.' Luffy determined as he walked down the hall to his room. As expected, Zoro was already asleep and oblivious to the experience he'd just had. He bit his bottom lip, worried about his friend.
Katakuri said he saw the future…so did that mean Zoro would be hurt by Mihawk?
'I won't let that happen!' Luffy thought, clenching his fists tightly as he sat down on the edge of his bed. Screw what Katakuri said…even if he couldn't tell people what was coming…
He'd just become strong enough to prevent it.
With that thought in mind, Luffy snuggled down into his pillow and fell asleep quickly, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up to him. Not long after he fell asleep, a familiar figure appeared between the two beds, his scarlet eyes moving between the two boys.
Katakuri moved his fingers slightly and watched closely as his red mana appeared on Luffy's skin, settling itself around the boy's neck in a swirled design.
Good, it was working as it should, not that he'd expected anything else. The ranger's miniscule mana meant that it was relatively easy to add his into the mix without messing up Luffy's natural flow. It wasn't his desire to hinder the human's growth, after all.
With that, Katakuri turned to the other occupant of the room: Luffy's friend Zoro. The one Mihawk said intended to challenge him. Unlike the raven-haired human, this one had a different…more powerful, aura to him. Katakuri hated to say that as it felt like an insult to Luffy (who'd tried so hard to challenge him, bless his heart), but Zoro simply had a lot more mana.
His fangs descended slightly the longer he looked, salivating at the delicious smell of mana, but he quickly looked away, back to Luffy. He doubted Mihawk would appreciate him sampling his challenger. Thankfully, gazing upon Luffy's extreme lack of mana helped to curb his appetite.
'No offense, little one.' He thought, imagining the small human would probably be displeased to hear that.
Summoning a portal, Katakuri made to leave, only to stop when he felt…something. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw golden mana crawl its way up Zoro's arm and eventually, into his eyes, causing the human to tense instinctively. The mana formed a pattern, much like Luffy's, but around his forehead.
Like a crown…or perhaps a chain.
He hummed softly, careful not to wake the youths behind him.
It seemed that Katakuri wasn't the first to leave his mark on a human, after all.
'What are you up to, Mihawk?'