~.~
There were not many things that could annoy the greatest swordsman Mihawk Dracule, but this particular reoccurring event… what did he do to deserve this? He questioned himself as he took the keys from the inn owner without showing much of his displeasure but a small frown. The giggling behind him didn't help much.
Luffy had quite liked this city so far. It was beautiful and quite lively, it housed funny people too. For some reason they all kept mistaking the traveling duo for father and son, Mihawk's anterior reaction were all hilarious, but not so much anymore. The man composed himself way too fast. He wasn't sure why but he truly wanted to see the man show some true reactions. Maybe Shanks was rubbing off on him, the man after all loved to find new ways to annoy his rival. It would be a shame for him to miss out on the fun.
Shanks brat was plotting something, he knew that innocent expression all too well. The red-haired yonko totally corrupted the kid, didn't he?
"So where is the blacksmith?" Luffy asked the swordsman quite excited. Come to think of it, the teen had been acting very… friendly ever since he woke up.
"Change your clothes first."
"Hmm?" Luffy asked oh so intelligently as he looked at the one he was wearing now. What was the problem with them? There might be a tear or two in them but they were clean enough.
The man didn't bother to hide his sigh this time. "Unbelievable…" he muttered to himself. This was the true reason he had been sent wasn't it, they boy while quite strong was incapable of looking after himself. This is what he had been reduced to, an overqualified nanny? Damn Benn Backman for making him do this and damn himself for agreeing to this.
~.~
The boy had adhered to his words and did change his clothes. To an almost similar pair, that instead of a long sleeved hoodie was sleeveless just like his shirt so the bandages on his hand were quite visible, just like his black gloves. The hoodie also had a white text that read 'Everything is funny, as long as you can laugh about it' with a white set of canines belonging to a cat probably. He still had the same belts and shoes, and Mihawk wasn't sure if the boy changed his pants or not. His long shattered sword on his back in its sheathe.
"Let's just go." The boy skipped next to him and the warlord felt a headache coming as the boy continued to skip, like every step. He was also humming and while not annoying, it was not particularly pleasing either, not when he continued to hum the same song seemingly endlessly.
"You are Mihawk Dracule!" The warlord only raised an eyebrow at the man's shouting. "I challenge you to a duel!" Good a duel was exactly what he needed. "My name is-"
"Not interested, small fly." Luffy interrupted quite disrespectfully but he couldn't really reprimand the teen for it. He was just about to do the same after all.
"Wait here." The warlord added the "here" just to make sure the boy understood him and didn't wonder off again. "This will not take long." He added again as he turned at the man who was quite furious for being ignored so blatantly. It did not take long, he slayed the man in one move with only a small knife. If Luffy had to say by the way the Mihawk's eyebrow were twitching the swordsman wouldn't believe his opponent was so weak either. Well being recognized as the strongest had downsides too.
"I believe I told you to stay here."
"I haven't moved one bit." Luffy replied as he bit on the chocolate that mysteriously appeared in his hands.
"Then where did you get that from."
"An old lady give it to me."
"So let me understand this, an old lady passed the street while I cut down that man," the boy nodded "give you a chocolate" Luffy nodded again. "and you actually eat it."
"Yes."
"Wonderful." The man said as he snatched it away from the boy and threw it as far away as possible, he expertly ignored the pitiful whimper that left Luffy.
"Why would you do that?!" The teen asked with tear filled eyes.
"Why would I, did it occur to you that it may have been poisoned?"
"It wasn't." Luffy replied vehemently. "You just wasted perfectly fine food. The gods will punish you for this." Mihawk was starting to see a parallel here after all Shanks said the same thing when he spilled his booze once. He had thought the man was kidding but no he had been quite serious so ergo Luffy was too.
The urge to facepalm grew immensely. "And just what kind of god would that be?"
"Food of course."
"I don't believe in them."
"Blasphemy."
"This is ridiculous." The man said as he started to walk and then looked at the boy who was still standing in place. "Come. Let's not waste time."
"There," the boy pointed at a soldier who was running up to them. "I told you, divine retribution."
"Oi, you with the gigantic cross stop right there!" The man shouted and Mihawk had a twitching eyebrow, it was a sword not a cross! What kind of idiot would miss that? the kind that didn't see a corpse not two meters from him but saw him throw away a god damn piece of chocolate, that's the kind.
"This is a city that takes pride in its cleanness, something like this is not tolerable. You have to pay a fee of 50 beri for littering and trash disposal violation." The soldier listed as he started to complete a small ticket. "Your name?" the soldier asked and Mihawk give him an incredulous look and Luffy started laughing.
"Dracule Mihawk." The warlord said as he waited patiently for the man to realize just who he was trying to amend, and waited and waited…
"Mihawk… weird name, alright occupation."
"Warlord." Maybe this way.
"What lord?" It was hopeless. The man was a complete idiot. "But isn't lord a title… Oh so you are one of those!" Finally, he got it. "A rich pampered blue blood who doesn't actually work." That's it, he's going to kill this idiot, painfully. Luffy probably sensed his thoughts and quickly interfered. It was the only reason this idiot's life had been spared.
"Sorry mister soldier, daddy was just angry I took chocolate from a stranger." Luffy said giving the man the biggest and most innocent smile.
K.O.
"Shishishi, and that's how you do it."
"You are… surprisingly evil." Mihawk muttered.
"Eh… why?" the boy asked innocently.
"That's exactly why."
"And to think I swipe the ticket for you." Luffy said with tear filled eyes. "You're so mean." The warlord was not impressed by the fake waterworks and just sighed inwardly.
He could just take it from the boy, but then… he could still tell others. No other way around to this was there. "Sorry. Now give it here."
"No."
"No?"
"You're a meany so I will give it to Shanks." The boy said blowing him a raspberry before he ran away. If Shanks found out about this incident… no he could never live it down.
~.~
"Why is your head bruised?" The older man asked as he watched the two enter the shop. He reminded the nekomimi of his Garp slightly, strong and tall despite his age. He was only wearing a pair of pants since the temperature in the shop had been so high.
"He has no sense of humor." Was Luffy's prompt reply.
"What was that brat?" Mihawk asked with narrowed eyes.
"The truth, it hurts doesn't it."
"I like you brat." The man said with a booming laugh.
"Cheshire D. Luffy, nice to meet ya."
"A D…" The man said curiously "my name is Walter, so what can I help you with?"
"I heard you were a blacksmith of incredible skills." Luffy started.
Walter grinned playfully "Flattering will get you nowhere but it is true. I'm quite good. Pretty awesome if I have to say."
"That's not enough. Good and pretty awesome is not enough." That made the man turn serious.
"I'm the best you will find in all Grand Line." Walter finally replied and it made Luffy grin.
"Then I believe I found a suitable man." Luffy said as he brought forward his sword. Mihawk was just a bit curios, he had yet to see the blade after all, Walter himself stared at the sheath with excitement. It wasn't everyday a costumer came in and demanded the best blacksmith. People were too used to the usual and good, no standards really. The blade was long, almost as long as the boy, and shattered into hundreds of pieces.
"Wow… this is pretty awful. What did you do with this katana put it through a grinder or something?"
Luffy couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest."…or something."
"You're pretty hated." The man said with a tone of finality.
It made the nekomimi chuckle bitterly but he couldn't help but ask "How do you know?"
"This katana is cared for, I can see it, even though it's broken to pieces is still sharp and without blemishes. Someone who takes such good care of it would never do this." Walter said as he touched the blade's edge and withdraw it as it nicked his finger. "Pretty bad tempered, isn't she? I will tell you right now, I can't put it back together, the best I can do it is melt it all down and reconstruct it. It will not be same sword, but the core of a new sword."
"I see…"
"Mah don't be so sad, it will live on, it doesn't mean is the end. It's yeah… transcendence." Walter said with a small grin making Luffy nod hopefully. "If you go further in you will find metals of all kind, go and look around, I'll be there soon." The nekomimi didn't waste time and skipped all the way in.
"Can't believe you are actually nice to him."
"Hmm, jealous perhaps?"
"Why would I be?" Mihawk asked as he tried to control his twitching eyebrow. "I just remarked that your attitude is quite different from the way you deal with other costumers."
Walter actually sighed hearing that. "Most of my costumers are stupid fools. They all want me to make them or give them some legendary sword to increase their fame or power. Well in your case I just don't like your attitude. " The man said giving Mihawk a blank look the swordsman returned. "Is easy to be strong when you carry a legendary sword they all want a meito from the Saijo O Wazamono (Supreme Grade Swords) like your Yoru, or one belonging to the O Wazamono (Great Grade Swords)…" The man said finally as he changed the sign on the shop door to closed. "That kid, has a nameless sword… to care so much for it. Is just something few people do nowadays, and I bet that even if I were to offer him a great meito, he'd still stick to his sword."
"That… doesn't make him special just a sentimental fool."
"Oh but that's fine, isn't it? After all it takes a fool to achieve the impossible the normal wouldn't even dare try." Mihawk lips twitched hearing that.
~.~
Perona wouldn't admit that she was pouting. First Luffy disappeared and then they sailed again. The ship Red Force was big but wasn't big enough for her to mock-battle and Benn prohibited her from visiting the library for the following month. At least she wasn't alone because Shanks had a somehow similar fate to hers; he wasn't allowed to drink any rum after they both throw a temper tantrum hearing Luffy was travelling with Mihawk for a while. She hated it here, there was nothing cute besides Luffy on the ship. This was torture, how much more till she can finally hug her cute captain again? It wasn't fair, the entire crew was filled with gross man. They all hated her, not that he could blame them, she was a vain person after all. She disliked them and they disliked her. It seemed only fair. The ghost-princess sighed.
As did someone beside her. Rockstar if she remembered "Miss the kid."
"You too." It was not a question.
"Yeah, I keep waiting for him to pop out of somewhere; like when we played hide and seek on the ship. The kid was a genius when it came to hide-and-seek. I remember one time we couldn't find him for half a day, he fell asleep and we thought he might have fallen into the sea."
"And?"
"Well Benn found out why we were acting so weird, he panicked"
"Benn-san?"
"Yeah but Shanks just chuckled, it's how we knew it wasn't anything serious. He took of his hat and there was, nekoLuffy sleeping without a care in the world."
"Eh?!"
"It's the reason he's not allowed to turn into a cat when we play hide-and-seek."
"Horo-horo, Luffy-nyan is so cute."
"Hmm" The man nodded along. "I know, I know right?"
~.~
"Hoh so even you can sneeze" Luffy spoke with amazement in his voice.
"Yes." Mihawk said maybe just a tad annoyed. "I do believe most if not all species can sneeze."
"I guess." Luffy said not just a bit skeptical.
"What does that supposed to mean."
"Why would it mean something."
"Luffy."
"Is just you have been cleaning your throat all day and now you sneezed."
"So?"
"Does it feel like something's struck in your throat, and your body perhaps feel sluggish almost like you're underwater" The nekomimi didn't wait for a reply. "Like there is just something pressing down on your shoulder," He asked taunting. "a small but annoying buzzing in your head and ears that won't seem to go away."
"How do you know?" Mihawk asked perturbed.
"Hmmm, I could tell you but you won't believe me." The boy told the swordsman who raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"Try me."
"Fine, you're showing symptoms of the sickness commonly known as –cold." The man actually laughed in his face. "Yes-yes laugh away. Tomorrow you won't be laughing I bet."
"I'll take that bet." The swordsman said flippantly.
"Stubborn bastard…" the teen muttered. "I'll be too late tomorrow to regret it."
"I won't be the one regretting it. I must inform you I have never been sick a day in my life."
"So you base the possibility of something happening on your past experiences. That's like saying that just because you haven't been defeated yet you never will be."
"Just what are you implying?"
"I'm just saying that unexpected things happen all the time."
"Are you saying you will defeat me?" Mihawk asked curiously. "Are you after my title perhaps, just like those fools?"
"Huh? What are you saying Mihawk? If anything you title seems more trouble than worth… stuffy titles don't suit me, but even so… there is one that I will one day make mine."
"And which is that?"
"Pirate King, of course." The boy said with a gigantic grin that seemed oh so familiar. Mihawk only chuckled amused. Shanks was true, there was something of Gol D Roger inside the boy after all. "Oh if I win the bet I have one favor from you that you can't refuse!"
"And when you lose?"
"I won't lose, but let's see it's only fair in reverse. If you win you can ask me one thing you want."
The boy grinned "Shishishishi." That laugh was for some reason quite scary, Mihawk decided. Why did he feel like he had just made a deal with the devil. The next morning had not been funny, the swordsman admitted.
"Why?!" The warlord asked himself drowning in depression. "I never (cough cough)"
"I know never been sick till now." Luffy said as he took away the thermometer. "A small fever, nothing to fret about. With some antibiotics and rest you will be back to your usual self before you even know it." The boy said with an encouraging smile making the warlord feel even worse. "I'll go and buy some medicine, you stay in the bed and rest." Luffy said as he grabbed his hoodie.
The brat did he think he could just order him around. "You're a hundred (cough cough cough)"
"A hundred years too early to give you orders, I know, I know." The boy said as he pushed him gently back into the bed. "Besides it wasn't an order but a friendly advice. You want to recover as soon as possible don't you?" It was because of the damn cold, the swordman decided, the reason his glare was ineffective on Luffy.
"I'll be back soon! Rest up!" The boy shouted as he skipped out the room meanwhile the warlord let his head fall back on his pillow. What was he doing? It was all thanks to his overconfidence, he couldn't believe he let someone see him in such a weakened state. It was slowly getting harder to piece together any thoughts, and before he knew he slipped back to sleep.
Luffy made a few additional purchases beside the medicine he procured, and walked back only with a slight hurry in his step.
"You are sure he's here?" One of the many man in the hallway inquired as they all draw their weapon.
"Yes, one of the girl at the reception told me"
"What are you doing in front of my door?" Luffy asked with a cold voice. He wasn't feeling all that forgiving that morning.
He had fallen asleep, Mihawk groaned as he sit up and as if knowing he had woken up Luffy made his appearance right that given moment. He was carrying a tray with still streaming hot food making the swordsmen blink in wonder.
"You cooked?"
"Nope. The only thing I can make without burning it is Meat. "
"That's good to know for future reference."
"Shishishi."
"You should go to Walter."
"Is fine, I stopped by in the morning."
"How is the blade coming along?"
"Amazingly nice." Luffy said with a grin making the swordsman chuckle with a low. "Is that so."
The rest of the day continued in the same boring manner. Mihawk took another nap while Luffy read a new book he got from the library in the town. It was already dark outside when the swordsmen woke up again, he was unmistakably better. Still a bit dizzy but compared to the morning when even standing up took unbearable effort, much better and he had to thank the kid for that. Speaking where was the brat? Mihawk walked into the lounge where he finally laid eyes on the whirlwind known as Luffy.
"Oh you're up!" The boy cheered and the book sailed across the room having slipped the boy's hand.
"Of course." The swordsmen said as he caught the book heading right at him. "Seeing how much you care for your books" this made the teen young laugh sheepishly. "I doubt you read for the love of it, after all you'd use any excuse to get away from it." Call him skeptic but it wasn't by accident, the boy was actually testing his reactions by throwing the book at him. The impertinence, had the boy been anyone else he wouldn't just hit them with a book.
"Auch" The boy said nursing his head before he took back the book the man held out. Both of them sit down as he ran his finger gently on the cover. Mihawk didn't spoke, he was still waiting for his answer the boy realized. "In the beginning, it was familiarity…" The only one to even try and give him some resemblance of education was Kaze, he only started to read to feel the man's fading presence. He hadn't been ready to give up on their connection. "then it was become a distraction", it was something he kept doing to keep the bad memories away to keep his mind occupied. "now is more like a -have to."
"Why? Is Benn forcing you to read?"
"No." Nowadays it kept his boredom in bay.
The warlord sighed the boy was as usual impossible to actually read. He was like one of those jigsaw puzzles you think you had already figured out, just to realize you're still far from understanding it.
"You shouldn't drink alcohol." The boy commented with a pout as the warlord reached for some vine on the table. "You're still on meds."
"I'm supposed to look after you, not the other way around."
"Humph..." Mihawk decided to just let the matter go seeing as the boy was sulking already.
"We have to change locations." The warlord said making Luffy sigh then mumble something. "What was that?"
"I said not my fault, I told them to be silent."
"Before or after you beat them up?"
"Mean." Luffy said with a pout. "Besides you would have done much worse if they woke you up from your nap."
"…" He couldn't deny that. "Still… I believed we had an agreement." A non-verbal one but still an agreement.
"I don't mess with your fights, you don't mess with mine. But is not like I killed them, just delayed them. They can come back tomorrow."
"I believe their injured pride is harder to nurse back to health then the other wounds they have sustained."
"Then they shouldn't have tried to challenge you to start with." The nekomimi smirked. "Against you, an injured pride would have been the least of their worry."
"Still doesn't change the fact that you own me a fight."
"You-you want to fight me?"
The man smirked. Mihawk actually smirked. Luffy felt goosebumps along his skin as a wave killing intent, no more like his battle thirst hit him. "Mah, don't fret. I won't kill you. I'll even wait for your sword to be ready, so prepare yourself."
~.~
It took a long time, for his sword to be finally be ready and Walter had been working almost non-stop. There wasn't much he could do, besides training but not more than 8 hours since Mihawk timed it for some reason and playing cards. All while the swordsman had plenty of challenges. It wasn't fair… Luffy grumbled as he watched Mihawk battle yet again.
"What is he doing taking so long?" Luffy asked as he bit down on a lollipop then spotted something shining in the distance. "gepo… " he dropped silently right behind the man holding a sniper rifle. He could have killed him already but, he was bored. "What-cha doing?" he ask-whispered into the man's ear.
"Kyaaah!" The man shouted as he jumped away. At least 2 meters in the air and Luffy clapped amazed by the feat. He was sure after all the man didn't use any of the Six Powers. "W-who are you?"
"Luffy, nice to meet you and your name?"
"My name's Hakuya, nice to me- Wait, there is no time! What are you doing here?"
"I saw something shining from here so I decided to investigate."
"Ah… I see you saw the reflection of my lens..."
"So what are you doing? Ahh is this a gun-" Luffy said in a deceptively innocent way as he grabbed the rifle making the man fret.
"Wait, don't touch that!" it quickly turned into a "Don't point it my way!" as Luffy continued to 'play' with the gun.
"Oh is this suppose to come off?" Luffy asked sheepishly as he broke off the lenses.
"Noo! You broke it!" The man accused the little boy. "Do you know much that costs! What are you doing?"
Bang! "Ouch, did I shot you? Oh you're bleeding-" The boy remarked before he pressed the trigger again, this time instead of the feet it hit the man's right ear just as he was about to launch himself in rage at the small boy and try to take the rifle from his hands. No need to say, it was enough to make the man backtrack and rethink his plans.
"Sorry?" He offered as he stood up with the sniper rifle and accidently bent the barrel as he leaned on it.
"Gyyaah!" The man shouted. "No, stop!"
"I didn't mean to…" The nekomimi added as another piece fell out. "Oh."
"W-why?"
"Accident! This was by accident." Luffy swore as more and more pieces fell out as he gestured with his hand, the hand that was holding the rifle.
"Noooo!" the man cried, "W-why are you doing this? Why must you torture me like this?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Mihawk sighed as two set of eyes landed on him. "Luffy, what are you doing?"
"Finished already?" the boy chirped happily.
"Ah."
"Can we go eat then?"
"Ah."
"Meat?"
"Vegetables too."
"Ehh but-"
"No but and give back the man his weapon already."
"Oh." The boy looked at the rifle that was already in pieces, and then skipped next to the shell-shocked man and dropped it in his hands. He grinned at the man before he quickly walked after the swordsman. The man blinked in wonder and just then the boy stopped at the door and turned to wave frantically. "Bye-bye!"
The man couldn't stop his empty hand from waving back even while tears run down his face.
~.~
The katana was a beauty. Long, but not as long as Luffy's previous one, with straight silver colored blade. A big dark crystal followed by a smaller blue one and one white even smaller than that embedded inside the katana separating the blade and the handle that was wrapped in simple bandages instead of a guard. The blade was accustomed for Luffy, they had been made with his flames after all. Everyday he'd come here everyday to start the fire, the only ornament that the sword tolerated was actually those three gems, any other and the flames would devour them, it was the reason the blade had no real handle.
"You decided on the name yet?"
"Tsukoyumi"
"Like the goddess?"
"Yup, fits her perfectly."
"She is one of kind alright, doesn't even allow me to touch her…" Walter said somehow sulking. "Kind of reminds me of the cursed swords"
"Oi, take that back." Luffy replied annoyed while gently tracing her finger on the blade in a calming manner that seemed almost comical seeing it was a sword. "It's alright he didn't mean it like that."
"I didn't. I was just saying that it will be hard for someone else to ever wild her."
"That's just means she has standards."
Walter sighed "Why am I even trying." He asked himself in vain. "If you continue to act like that I won't give you any presents."
"Presents?" The boy's eyes seemed to lit up in excitement and anticipation making the blacksmith sigh to himself. Luffy was too easy to please sometimes.
"Here." He said as he revealed three small tanto, they were made from similar alloy to his blade. "it's made from the scrap pieces that were left behind, they are not as strong and they don't have the same core metal so they are not exclusive for you " they each had a black handle, and one small jewel –black, blue and white one in shape of a teardrop embedded inside to separate blade from the handle instead of a guard.
"This is… "
"What you not like it?" Walter asked with a frown but was taken aback when Luffy started crying. "No need to cry.. .I mean if you don't want them I can just"
"No! I mean I like them very very much! They are beautiful, and y-you made them for me!" Luffy said quite strongly. He indeed liked them very much so he bowed deeply in front of the blacksmith and Walter flinched back from the sudden movement. "Thank you very much!"
"It's nothing, I know think of it like a bonus… for being a good costumer and all."
"WHanksss wuoh!"
~.~
Finally, he could get the chance to fight against Mihawk, he couldn't exactly tell if he was shacking from excitement or fear. His steps were light as he walked down to the streets, it was almost midnight when he left Walter's shop and the shadows on the streets kept playing tricks on him. So he took an extra-long route for precaution.
"So you're finally here." Luffy said as he stopped walking. This place was good enough as any to fight. "Moria."
There was a sound of footsteps and groaning that followed almost as like an answer to his query. The nekomimi couldn't help but stand there shocked for a second as the first zombies showed their rotting faces.
"An old man with a wound?" Came Luffy's question which made the zombies snap at him.
"We're zombies can't you tell!" followed up by a "Shit we weren't supposed to talk to him!" then followed by a wave of depression. "We're gonna get scolded again."/ "What do you expect… nobody respects a zombie nowadays…" The old-man zombie that Luffy first saw was actually crying over not being scary enough, saying he had totally failed as a zombie.
Luffy was feeling just a little bit bad for his enemies. He couldn't help it, the zombies were just so pitiful. "Oh… uhm sorry everyone, I must have been rude."
"Mah its not your fault I guess… " One of the zombies said. "Shame though, our entrance was so cool… "
"… then let's just do it again. I'll just pretend that I haven't noticed you and you can sneak up on me again, what do you say?"
"No… we can't, that's"
"Come on I insist, let's do this right, what do you say everyone. No one has to now and this way no one is gonna scold you."
"If you insist…" / "Ah let's do this!" / "We'll scare the crap out of you!"
"Yes, I'm counting on you all. Let's do this!"
"Yes!"
Take2:
"So you're finally here. Moria." He turned around and… every zombie fell like dominos.
"That's why I told you to quit pushing me!" / "Is not my fault! We are in the middle of the horde and everyone is pushing!"
Take3:
"So you-"
"My bones!" one of the zombies shouted interrupting his lines. "No everyone save yourselves is a dog!" / "Is after my bones!" / "Don't bite that!"
Luffy sweat-dropped as the ahem fearless horde of zombies got chased around by a dog. He ended up chasing it away.
"Thank you!" / "You really saved us" / "What a nice guy!" / "Even through we're enemies!"
TakeXX:
"This is impossible!" One of the zombies cried out.
"I know you can do this guys don't give up. I believe in you." Luffy said passionately making some of the zombies even cry.
"Nobody ever said that to us! "/ "Come on guys let's do this!"
"Ah!"
TakeXX+1:
"So you're finally here. Moria." Luffy said with a dramatic flair as he turned around to face the horde of groaning zombie that were advancing in a menacing way towards him. "What is this you sent your army of undead after me instead of facing me yourself coward?" The nekomimi asked this time with golden glowing eyes. "Gepo." He uttered and seemingly jumped into the air as the zombies launched their attack. "I will deal with them first" the small boy said with a small bloodthirsty smile as he adjusted the gloves on his hands. "And then find you myself."
'S-scary!' The zombies thought as one.
~.~
"What are you doing weakling?" Mihawk asked quite annoyed the blond man who blocked his path. It was a pirate, he could tell from a mile. While pirates usually hated Warlords he got the feeling the man in front of him didn't stop him for that reason.
"Should I tell?" The man teased and swordsman only stared back with a expressionless face.
"Let me guess. Gekko Moria, he finally made his move."
~.~
"Khishishishi! Cheshire D. Luffy we finally meet." The warlord said as he sent out an attack made from shadows at the nekomimi who jumped back avoiding the attack. The man was gigantic and weird too, he had horns on either sides of his forehead for god's sake, with stiches running vertically from the top of his face ad down his neck; with red hair and blue, yes blue skin. His coat and gloves were black while his pants were bright orange with pale window shapes imprinted on them. He was wearing a fishnet shirt underneath a cravat, a necklace, and a blue crucifix like ornament with claw-like appendages sprouting out from three of the cross's points.
The nekomimi smirked tauntingly "I started to think you won't come at all."
"What you thought you can just do what you did and get away unscratched?" Moria asked with a dark glare.
"Not if you have any pride as a pirate captain."
"I admit it took some time to track you down." The warlord said as he sent more shadows toward the small hooded figure. "You didn't say you were part of the Red-haired pirates." Of course not, Luffy didn't want then to involve the yonko in his mess. "But then people distinctively remember a boy fitting of your description accompanied by the red-haired pirates. Imagine my surprise when I found out. You being part of the mighty crew like that. Attacking them head-on would be foolish but then here you are. All alone, no way I could have missed a chance like this!" the man shouted as he sent more and more shadow tendrils at the teen who continued dodging them meticulously.
"You are wrong, I'm not here alone."
"Hm Mihawk Dracule is a Warlord too you know… Now what do you think is more likely, him helping you or me?"
"There is no way Mihawk would work with you."
"Then where is he?" The warlord grinned when Luffy didn't answer as he jumped on a roof. "No answer then- BlackBox!" The man shouted and the shadows surrounding the nekomimi closed up around Luffy, giving it the appearance of a box. It was too late to dodge. The lid closed and he got struck.
Moria grinned as he managed to capture the boy before he followed up with a punch denting said box. It felt to the ground with a resounding thud. The defeated silence persisted before the man's eyes widened.
"Where are you looking?" Luffy asked as he slashed with his sword at him. The shadow-man couldn't escape in time.
"Y-you!" The warlord shouted in annoyance as blood dripped down from his shoulder. "How did you-"
"Escape, I cut your box and the roof underneath."
The man screamed in both annoyance as he sent a wave of black shadow at the boy, but it was cut before it could reach him.
"You dare hurt someone under my protection?" Came the deadly voice of the world's greatest swordsman.
Moria was a lazy bastard, but he could recognize a hopeless situation for what it was. The brat was stronger than he give him credit for, and Mihawk, he had no desire to face what so ever. "I will not forget this, Cheshire!" the man shouted before he disappeared in the shadows.
"You are not wounded." Mihawk stated making Luffy look at the man amused.
"Nope."
"I got held back by some blond idiot." It almost sounded like the man was trying to apologize for being late in his own weird way. It made the amusement on the teen's face become more pronounced.
"I was fine, meet some zombies by the way."
"Oh." Mihawk was not talkative but Luffy didn't mind.
"You should have seen them. They were hilarious!"
~.~
Luffy blinked in wonder just as soon as he opened his eyes. He could recognize this place any given time. The forest in Death's realm… but why was he here?
"Kyaa! Go away!" That voice he could tell it apart from a hundred.
"Perona!" Luffy shouted as he raced to where the shout was coming from. The pink haired girl was surrounded by what looked hundreds of spirits. Luffy growled at them as he run at and then kicked away the closes to the girl making the spirits pause. The one hit by his flames got burned to death and the blue flames were dancing on the boy's skin threateningly.
"Lu-luffy!" The girl shouted as he recognized his captain.
"Shield!" he uttered and before Perona could ask a shield made from what seemed to be glass appeared in front of her. "Soru-" the boy said silently before he seemingly vanished in a blue flicker and appeared before a spirit hitting it in the stomach with blue-flame covered hands making it dispense with a silent scream. The teen seemed to disappear again before he dropped a kick on another's head with his boots covered in flames. It continued just like that, the boy seemingly disappearing here and there before one spirits seemingly dispensed followed by another. Some of the spirits backed away and tried to run while others gathered around the nekomimi boy who seeing he successfully made the spirits gather around him smirked in self-satisfaction.
Luffy let his particles encircle the spirits and spread through the small clearing. "Burn-" was the only command the boy gave and in less than a second everything caught ablaze, creating a doom of fire around him. The spirits of that dead would have screamed if they could have before they burned away. It didn't take long thankfully as Luffy collapsed… he was overexerting himself using such a large-scale attack, there had been after all hundreds of them. He was really thankful none of them were exceptionally strong.
"Luffy!" Perona shouted in worry as she quickly kneeled next to him. "Luffy! Are you alright? What happened are you hurt? Where are we Luffy?"
"I'm fine, tired only." The boy said as he pushed himself up. "I can tell you were we are but you probably won't believe me. More importantly how did you get here?"
"I don't know. Probably fell asleep on the Red-Force and woke up here… So where is here and why is the sky green?"
"We are in death's realm you could say… "
"What?! D-d-does that mean that we" the pink haired girl surprisingly believed him.
"Seeing as we can speak, no we're not dead."
"Speak, what does that have to do with ANYTHING?" the girl asked flustered.
"Where should I even start?" Luffy asked as he sat close legged. "What do you know of bakeneko's?" The teen told her some of his past and how he found out his necromancy powers, how he found his way into this bizarre realm.
"I see…" Perona said with tear-filled eyes before she shook her head. " Kaze is here too then? Can I meet him?" she asked excited. True to be told from all of the things he thought she would ask this one hadn't even crossed in his mind.
"Yeah I guess… But shouldn't we first try to find a way to get you back to your body?"
"What?"
"Well you were actually meditating weren't you?" Luffy asked with a knowing look. "So I think the you here is only a projection… because of your fruit. Hah… to think I never even thought about it. You ate the Horo-horo no mi… you can create ghosts in other words yokai. No wonder… you ended up here and were targeted by them."
"Them?"
"Spirits of those who passed on… most of them are reincarnated but some cling too strongly to their former life. They probably thought that using your body as a medium could go back to the living world."
"Eh?! What do you mean by that?"
"I'm talking about possession. You are probably the only person who can house them. There are some people that have certain talent that lets them communicate with the dead but those means are temporary. Their body can't house two spirits of such."
"No way I don't want anyone living in my body!"
Luffy chuckled. "Figured as much. I wouldn't recommend it either way."
"How do you know so much about that anyway and why are they scared of your flames?"
"You never asked about what my flames are and where they come from. Ghost light ; will-o-the-wisp and many ways people refer to them … but I call them soul-fire. Think of it, after all the only thing that passed on is a person's soul and my blue fire are made from the same material souls are. It's one of the few things that can actually hurt them. Normal psychical attack have no effect on them. "
"I see… slightly disturbing. I mean still is not like you use your own soul and die if… Luffy!"
"No… I mean I could die if I overuse my soul fire but I won't become soulless or anything like that. Is energy, if I'd ever use too much it would be likely that I'd first collapse and not die just like when you run a marathon. I mean there is a possibility that I die but is highly unlikely."
"Captain! Don't say such things so lightly!" Perona screamed annoyed.
"We should find a way to send you back through." Luffy said ignoring the ghost girl who pouted hearing him. "Seems straightforth enough… you got here through meditation, should be able to get back the same way."
Perona nodded before she frowned. "Wait, I know how I ended up here but how did you?"
Luffy smirked hearing her. "And just were you thinking of when you were meditating?"
The girl blushed prettily making her captain chuckle lightly. "You… I missed you…so I kept thinking how great it would be to meet you…"
"I guess you have your answer then." She giggled slightly hearing his words.
"I'm happy you're not angry." The pink haired girl slightly bashful making Luffy smile amused. She was not such a bad person everyone thought her to be. A little high and mighty, quite vain but she was a nice person deep down if only you took the time to get to know the real her.
~.~
"I have been waiting for this." Mihawk said shocking Luffy slightly. They were far away for the city and it was time for Luffy to answer the swordsman challenge. They were facing each other on a large clearing in the forest, and as Mihawk reached for his weapon Luffy quickly jumped back. He himself was gripping the katana hard enough to bruise his fingers, but was yet to draw his sword. The boy was the type who didn't swing his sword around needlessly. More of one hit-kill type but the chances of that working on Mihawk were almost close to 0.
"You're on guard, that's good." The man said as he draw his sword. He respected the teen enough that he'd use his sword to face him.
"Me and Shanks fought once." By the way the boy was talking about it, it was not just any mock-battle. "It was… terrifying." Luffy said but he could still see the boy's eyes were full of excitement.
"I'll let you attack first, come." Luffy needed no more prompting. He closed his glowing eyes and exhaled slowly to calm his inner tremor and attacked. He used Soru right from the start and slashed with the same move he unsheathed his sword. It was an impressive swing but Mihawk parried and Luffy let his sword move gently but swiftly into a different direction to execute another attack.
"At least you're not an idiot who thinks brute force is the answer to everything." The warlord praised as he blocked with minimal effort and movement. "Since you attacked, is my turn now-" The pressure seemed to increase double fold and the nekomimi admittedly had a hard time maintaining his composure.
The gigantic sword cut through him easily, he could feel the burning pain- no …it didn't happen, there was no blood. Mihawk still didn't bring down Yoru so what was that? Did the pressure made him hallucinate; the killer intent that was burning behind the man's eyes or was it some sort of inevitable future he caught the glimpse of. He didn't know but he didn't hesitate to move. Even so, a small slash appeared on his shoulder as he jumped back.
"Good, you dodged that." The man said with a smirk. He could see the swing take down a good part of the forest behind him. "But don't stop moving-" the man said as he sent a flying attack at him and Luffy knew it was just too late to dodge it. He let his mist construct a wall in front of him, concentrating to make it as resistant as possible, it still cut through. Thankfully he managed to deflect it enough so it just passed him by. But he had no time to admire Mihawk's impressive technique. As not one but three slashed flyed at him from three different directions. They tore through the ground like it wasn't even there as they approached him. Don't stop moving, the man said but there was nothing he could do. The battle barely started and he was already on defense. And he barely managed to do even that, it was madness, so overwhelming . This was the immense power difference.
Luffy's grip on the katana grow more relaxed, like Shanks used to say, gripping the sword and flexing his muscles too hard made his attacks rigid, it only obstructed his movement. He raised a pillar right under his feet and as expected Mihawk's attack broke it to pieces but it didn't matter he was already in midair sailing toward Mihawk, his blade glinted in the sun and the warlord smirked as he let lose another flying attack. Luffy who was midair created a platform right in front of him to help him change directions and avoid the slash before heading towards Mihawk again.
"Come then." The warlord said amused as Luffy brought his sword down.
Hard, it felt like Luffy was trying to cut a stone, no an entire castle made from stone with a dull knife. Mihawk was unmovable. Down, Up, Spin, Legs, Slash; all his attacks were batted away like they were nothing. Mihawk pushed his sword away and slashed.
He will get cut he knew that, he could see it. Blood splashing everywhere, his blood. He pushed as much power in his feet as he could to jump away. Even if he knew where the slash was coming from, there was nothing he could do to block it. The cut was deep… and his breathing was already labored. Blood dripped steadily from the wound that reached from his shoulder to his midsection. His vision was getting blurry and Mihawk had yet to take a step from where he was. Come to think of it, the warlord haven't moved from his spot since the beginning.
Luffy cursed inwardly but didn't give up. Not yet, his nakama were waiting for him. He'd march through hell for them so this feeling of hopelessness and weakness meant nothing. It only affirmed the fact that he could become even stronger. And he will be stronger, he decided before this battle ended he will make Mihawk move. He could feel his sword reverberate with his determination. Apparently she sustained him, like she always had; he wasn't fighting alone, not with Tsukoyumi here.
The silver sword seemed to glow slightly as what looked like blue mist surrounded it "Let's try that." Blue flames burned along the blade and the boy jumped at the man who was force to use his entire upper body into deflecting the attack instead of only his wrist.
"Better." Mihawk praised. "You're getting a hang of it."
"Humph… " Luffy grinned back as he attacked again. "… that coming from someone like you is flattering."
The man only grinned back as he dodged the flaming sword. He had to admit the boy had impressive skills. He'd go even as far as to say he was talented. There were small almost unnoticeable hints that pointed to Shanks style but the boy was mostly a freeform. No rigid katas the nekomimi moved naturally like the sword was part of him. Definitely fast, and definitely strong. He wasn't lacking in skill either. Many had trouble using such large swords but not Luffy. He could tell the boy considered the blade an extremity of himself. Wasn't scared to attack with it but defended it just as fiercely.
The teen probably didn't even know it through; his moves were impulsive and instinctive as always. He was gentle and moved with great care; so the sword wouldn't get scratch or chip at the edges whenever they locked blades; but it wasn't by conscious effort most of the time. More like it was second nature to him, always moved in a way to avoid damaging his sword. Mihawk could tell the boy would rather retreat or suffer a great wound than to let someone tarnish the blade. It was refreshing in a way not to mention Mihawk could see the sword responding to the teen and his dedication. Luffy was growing tremendously even now in the middle of the battle. He was silently wondering just how far he could truly push the boy.
"This flames of yours are troublesome..." Luffy's eyes widened as the man smirked inwardly as he pushed the boy's sword down and thrust his sword forward, it was great that the boy cared about his sword but also a weakness.
His eyes, the large black sword hit his eyes straight. Luffy quickly moved his head to the side. Didn't save him from a scratch on his face, right below his eyes, the warlord followed up with another attack but Luffy flared up his sword hoping to make Mihawk move; but the man cut through his flames totally unfazed. The teen quickly made a glass structure he used to kick himself away as the slash continued in its path toward him.
"I realized it a while back, you can summon great amount of flames but most go out real fast if you don't maintain contact with them or consciously try to keep them burning." The warlord commented nonchalantly as Luffy stood up panting slightly from his crunched position and sent more flames toward Mihawk.
His attack were getting sharper but it wasn't enough. Mihawk cut through his flames like they were nothing, it was slightly disturbing how strong the man was. Getting too close to him was no good, but all his ranged attacks were useless here the man could cut his flames in two after all. He readied his sword for attack. Maybe… maybe if it wasn't just flames, if he could send a flying blade attack. How did Shanks explained it again? Concentrate on the sword's blade and imagine the slash… continue moving onward… travelling, soaring, cutting even the wind-
"Kazekiri!" Luffy said as he finally let lose the concentrated power from the sword's blade soar toward Mihawk who smirked as the flying burning blade attack neared him. He parried it with a slash from Yoru and his eyes widened as both attacks meet and his was overpowered. He took a few steps back instinctively before he even realized it as he prepared to cut the attack. It was powerful, Mihawk had to admit, the blade was sharp and powerful more so empowered by the flames; but the boy still had to perfect this technique. It was unbalanced and he easily cut through halting the attack.
"I... I did it!" Luffy shouted in disbelief and Mihawk smiled for a small second.
"Of course you did." The warlord finally said. "If you wouldn't have I'd"
"Showed me again?" Luffy asked teasingly making Mihawk looked away slightly embarrassed.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying… what was it 7-8 times you showed me that technique… I may be dense but not that dense."
The warlord sighed. "You know there are things you shouldn't say."
"Ah, but then how could I thank you for it? Mihawk thank you very much." Luffy said with a bow followed by a sunny smile. "Now I can protect my nakama even better, thank you."
Mihawk couldn't help but smile again before it turned into a smirk. "Then I guess it's time we continue."
"Con-ti-nue?" Luffy asked stupidly.
"You don't think is finished. Not until you perfected and can use flawlessly this technique at any given opportunity."
"W-wait" He was already running low on energy.
"I'll go all out." That grin on the warlord's face said psycho.
Luffy gulped in both anticipation and fear before he repeated "All out?!"
"Prepare yourself" The man shouted as he attacked.
"W-wait, just a nyahh-!"
~.~
A.N.: Thank you for your reviews , I really appreciate them.
For the sword, think of Yukine from Noragami with three jewels inside the blade like Saya's sword from Blood+. The tanto are similar but only have one jewel instead of three.
As for the questions
Selet-san: Certain Mythical Zoan yes, but not only is mostly the devil fruits that have anything to do with yokai.
Ryan Mashall: Reilegh's cool but he not yet, also Luffy already shows signs of awakened Observation Haki.
Now a question everyone! Should I make Luffy meet Brook now or not… Moria is not going to take his defeat easily so he will retaliate quite strongly and so a possibility of the two, Luffy and Brook meeting sooner could arise.