I don't like you! by BloodyMarryMe
Finally, I was able to upload! Though it's not very long.
So I thought after all that fighting and long arcs, our crew should get a vacation. :) Well it wasn't relaxing for all of them though. ;)
Besides, since in the last arc, it was mostly with Law and Miyako, I thought it would be a good idea to involve the rest of the characters a little more. And also because I think Miyako needed some bonding-time with the crew. :)
Also, a lot of people had been asking about Law's and Miyako's relationship and will it evolve more. The answer to that is: Yes, it will. I plan on making a romantic relationship (eventually) between them but not yet, since it seems a bit too early. And also because I don't want Law to be too OoC so I need to make it look like something that could fit him and not be out of character for him. (Still working on it. :P)
Also thank you everyone for your wonderful comments and I see you like the progress of their relationship and there will be much more of that to come so I hope you'll enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece nor any of its characters but I do own the OC Suzune Miyako.
This is a story and is rated T for blood and language (mostly blood).
CHAPTER 24
The metal doors of the yellow submarine flew open and a well-known polar bear in an orange jumpsuit ran on the deck with his arms high in the air. "Finally, fresh air," he exclaimed. But his happiness didn't last long as the bright summer sun hit his thick fur, making him just as hot as he was in the vessel.
They had just sailed towards a small summer island. It was known as a summer resort with a spa and everything a person would need for maximum relaxation. The green vegetation swayed slightly on the summer breeze, the sandy beach extended for miles, the sun shone brightly and the water was crystal clear. All in all, everything someone would want for a perfect vacation, or in this case, what the Heart pirates would dream of.
After all the adventures and fighting they had recently, the pirates were looking forward to some relaxing time, hoping the captain won't work them too much and would give them some free time.
Shachi and Penguin ran out in their white jumpsuits and now had their upper parts lowered on the waist, showing their simple T-shirts they wore underneath. The rest of the crew looked similar as they tried to make themselves as comfortable as possible in the summer heat. They all looked excited though. Excited to try all the goodies the summer resort here had to offer. Well, everyone except a certain bear at least, who unbuttoned a few buttons on his jumpsuit but it didn't help him one bit.
"Sai-ya, go to the resort and find out how long it takes for the log pose to set. Others, find a way to get some supplies, there has to be some stores for restocking on the island," Law ordered his crew, which didn't seem too pleased with work right now as they wanted to enjoy themselves on the summer island but made no complains as they went off to work.
Most of the crew was now out of the submarine, stretching or working. However there was still a certain golden eyed samurai missing. Law noticed the absence of the said samurai and looked around, interested as to where she could be. He saw Josh and Cody bickering on the beach and she was usually with them, but now there was no sign of her.
Suddenly he noticed something from the corner of his eyes. He turned his head slightly towards the metal doors of the sub, catching a glimpse of someone peeking out of the submarine. But as soon as the person noticed him looking, the head quickly disappeared inside of the ship again. Law rose an eyebrow questioningly but amusement started rising in him as well as interest.
~…~
Miyako hid behind the submarine's wall reluctant to go out, a small blush present on her face. Since there was a summer climate here, Miyako found her usual clothing too thick for such heath. Luckily she did buy some summer clothing before and was currently wearing it. But when she looked at herself in the small bathroom mirror and realized how she looked, she felt too embarrassed to go out in front of others, especially men. And unfortunately the whole ship was full of them. *I should've never listened to that salesman, this looks too revealing!*
So now she was standing in the submarine's metal hall, hiding behind the doorframe and leading a mental battle if she should go out there or not. But she knew she will have to eventually. With a sigh she allowed herself another peek, hoping her captain, who was standing there minutes ago, had walked away.
She leaned and moved her head behind the doorway, trying to peek outside just to find herself staring at a familiar black and yellow hoodie that was right in front of her. Miyako blinked in confusion and looked up as her gaze traveled up the chest, passing a sneering smiley and stopped at a smirking tanned face with amused stormy grey eyes looking right at her.
"Eeek!" She shrieked, full of surprise, and jumped a little when she noticed her captain right in front of her, trying not to laugh at the girl's reaction. Miyako stood up straight suddenly, faint redness already appearing on her cheeks. She silently prayed he would think it was from the heat.
"Miss Miyako," Law lightly greeted with amusement in his eyes and tone, but he managed to stay calm, only allowing himself the usual smirk.
"Yes captain?" She hurriedly answered.
"What are you doing?" He simply asked.
Miyako cleared her throat hoping to clear her embarrassment with it. She tried to avoid his eyes as she spoke, "Just getting ready to go out on the deck, captain." *And please don't ask me anything more,* she added in her thoughts.
"I see," His entertainment was clearly both audible and visible now. He didn't comment on it anymore, even though it was obvious to both of them she wasn't quite honest. But once in a while he could give the girl some slack and not press on an unimportant matter. Law stepped aside so she could pass through the doorway and gestured for her to do so.
With another clearing of her throat, Miyako stepped on the deck and looked up at the bright shining sun. She had simple denim shorts on which showed of her long legs and ended with her old wooden sandals, since her boots were out of the questions in this summer heat. She also had a black sleeveless top that ended somewhere beneath her ribs and showed off her belly button and her flat stomach. Her katana was tightly tied around her waist as always and her red ribbon tied her long hair that reached to the end of her thighs now, uncut for several months since their journey begun. Now, such attire wouldn't be anything special or outrages to other girls but since Miyako came from a place where showing off skin in public places was considered inappropriate for women, such clothing seemed embarrassing to her. However it was the only thing she could wear and feel comfortable in during the bright sunny heat.
Law assumed his usual position leaning against the submarine's wall with his arms folded on his chest. Bepo was currently lying next to him, holding his nodachi and trying not to get a heat stroke as he took shallow breaths. Law looked at the girl from under his hat as she stood before him, her back turned to him and looking around the island before seeing her friends and running over to them. He had to admit, even though it was simple attire, it showed off all her lovely curves perfectly and Law found himself liking what he saw.
Meanwhile the girl took off her sandals, holding them in one hand while she ran through the clear blue water, feeling sand and freshness of the sea on her feet. She smiled at the cool feeling. It was a truly bright smile of pure satisfaction from the feeling of water against her skin.
Law noticed the girl's happy face from such a simple act as Miyako walked through the shallow water and couldn't resist a smirk forming on his face. *How can someone be so simple and so complicated at the same time…?*
"Oyyy, Miyako!" Penguin called with a wide smile and waved his hand. Miyako ran over to the two mechanics which were soon joined by the two medics as well. They all had grins on their faces that made Miyako raise an eyebrow in suspicion. "What?" She asked.
Their grins widened. "We're all done with our chores so we have some free time…and it takes a few hours for the log pose to set soo…" Shachi pointed towards the resort which was near the shore of the small island. It had a water park, swimming pools, a spa and everything you would need for a day of fun.
Miyako grinned too but then her happy face turned into a frown. "But I don't have any money…"
"Oh just come on! We have everything taken care of!" Josh pulled her hand. He was surprisingly in a good mood today, the whole crew was. Though he still had his short temper.
~…..~
They tried everything from the water slides to all the other water rides they had. At the moment Miyako and Cody were sitting on the edge of the pool, dipping their legs in and eating some ice cream while watching the others having a fight in the pool; They were splashing each other with water and seemingly trying to drown each other. At the moment Shachi and Penguin were keeping Josh's head underwater and Miyako wondered should she help him or laugh at him some more as he struggled with the two mechanics.
Cody laughed beside her which made her turn her head towards him. He looked at her with his cheerful dark eyes. "Are you having fun Miyako?"
She blinked at him a few times as she realized she really was having fun and with a smile she nodded. They were silent for a little longer and then she decided to ask him something she was wondering for some time now but never thought it was her place to ask.
"Um…so, why did you join the Heart pirates?"
Cody looked at her a bit surprised, not expecting her sudden question, which made her add quickly, "Sorry, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It's none of my business."
The medic just shook his head with a smile. "No, that's ok. I was just surprised you were interested. You don't really get interested in the crew's personal life usually." He cleared his throat as if preparing for a big speech and looked up at the sunny sky with a nostalgic look on his face. "I lived in the orphanage all my life. When I was old enough, I had to take a job but they allowed me to stay in return since I had nowhere else to go. Most of my money was always taken away by the orphanage but I would always save a little bit, for medical books. It was my dream to go to medical school but I knew I'd never have enough money for something like that, so the best I could do is buy medical books and self-study. Then Captain came into town one day and by chance we met in a bookstore, I saw him buying some medical books there and got interested so we started talking. He offered me to teach me everything about medicine if I joined him and I did. I had nothing waiting for me in that little town anyway, so it didn't matter if I became a pirate. And soon I became his first medical apprentice and after that a medical assistant." Cody finished with pride in his voice and a wide grin gracing his features.
"So you were the first on his medical staff?"
"No, but I was the first he took as an apprentice and taught. Others already came with all the knowledge they needed," Cody explained further and Miyako nodded.
"You must really respect him then," Miyako mumbled more to herself. She was in thought. It seemed everyone on that ship cared so much for their captain.
"Of course. Everyone in the crew respects him and would gladly sacrifice themselves for him." Cody smiled. Then his expression changed into a questioning one. "What about you, Miyako-chan? You seem to fight a lot with captain. But I don't think you really hate him…What do you think of him in the end?"
Miyako blushed a little at the forwardness of the question. "Well I-"
But she was cut off when suddenly a piece of paper flew on the wind out of nowhere and got stuck right on her face. She pulled it off and looked at the content of the paper with mild frustration from the sudden interruption.
"What's this? It looks like a map." Cody noted.
"Maybe it leads to a treasure!" A new voice startled them and they saw Shachi beside them also looking at the map. Penguin and Josh swam over and Josh still breathed heavily due to the drowning attack his friends gave him.
"Hey I have an idea! Let's go find it!" Penguin smiled excitedly.
Josh looked at him suspiciously, getting some of his wet red hair out of the eyes. "Are you kidding? How do you know it's real or if it really leads to a treasure?"
"Well we don't, but that's part of the fun. It'll be an adventure!" Cody added, liking Penguin's idea.
Josh rolled his eyes. "You and your adventures. What if it's dangerous?"
Shachi and Penguin leaned with their elbows on each one of his shoulders. "So? We're pirates! We live for danger. Now stop nagging and come on!" They grinned and pushed him under the water again with their elbows. Josh struggled for a while then got out with a loud gasp of air.
"I'll kill you two!" He yelled, ready to strangle each pirate with each hand but Cody stopped him.
The blue-haired medic stretched a hand out and grinned. "Are we all in?"
Penguin and Shachi stretched out their hands as well and put them on Cody's, grinning. Josh was reluctant but with a slight nudge in the ribs he rolled his eyes and did the same. Now all eyes were staring at a surprised Miyako. She looked at the expecting pirates for a while then sighed defeated. "Why not. It could be fun…though it'll most likely end in deadly peril as it always does." She smirked and put her hand to join the others.
~…..~
Miyako cut more vegetation around her as the group went deeper and deeper into the tropical jungle that started near the resort and spread throughout the island. The trip started innocent enough with them heading deeper into the island's forest but as they continued the trees grew bigger and the vegetation more suffocating so now they had to cut their way through.
"I thought this was a resort, why is there a frickin' jungle here?" Josh yelled fighting to break free as he got tangled into some vines.
"That just means we're closer to our goal!" Penguin said with no worry in his voice.
"No. That means we're closer to certain death once we get lost in here." Joshua corrected with a mumble.
Meanwhile, Shachi was leading the way with his nose stuck into the map, just pointing at random directions once in a while.
"Let me see that map." Cody ripped it from Shachi's hands who made a loud protest but everyone ignored him as they huddled closer to the map, studying it. They had been walking for hours and Miyako had a bad feeling that something wasn't right.
"Hmmm…" Cody hummed.
"hmmm." Joined Joshua.
"hmmm…" said everybody in unison.
"Shachi…" Cody started calmly.
"Yes?" The brunette answered staring at the group behind his sunglasses.
"While you were leading the way, did you find it strange that nothing around us looks as it does on this map?" Cody asked still in a calm voice.
"Oh about that, well…" Shachi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly. "Actually I've just been pointing in random directions in hopes of getting us back on track…we've been lost for the past two hours," he admitted, still laughing nervously.
The group looked at the smiling Shachi with a murderous intent and death glares. Miyako slowly started rising her katana as pissed off as the rest of them, a swirl of deadly aura around her.
"SHACHI YOU BASTARD, I'LL KILL YOU! WE'RE LOST!" Josh yelled and the group all jumped on poor Shachi, beating the crap out of him.
~…..~
A few minutes later the Heart pirates stared at the map trying to get any clues as to where to go. Well at least most of them, since Shachi was still on the ground beaten to near death.
"I think we should go East." Penguin exclaimed after being deep in thought.
"Why Penguin-san? Miyako blinked questioningly at the dark haired mechanic.
"I don't know…just seems like the best idea?" He nervously half stated-half asked but soon shut up when three death glares came his way. He decided it was better not to piss them more and end up next to Shachi who was trying to treat his wounds the best he could.
"How about we simply pick a route and start walking…we'll come to the end of the island and the shore eventually." Miyako proposed with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Yeah, and die tangled in the deep jungle on the way," Josh muttered bitterly.
The girl glared at her red haired friend. "You got a better idea, Mr. Know-it-all?"
The said redhead glared right back, not intimidated by the girl towering over him. "Well anything's better than your ideas!"
They started bickering but both shut up when they got a warning look from Cody. The cheerful medic usually never blew up or got annoyed but when he did it was better not to get in his way. He could be surprisingly scary while angry, surely a trait he learned from his captain mentor. And at the moment he was giving them those death glares of his that made you feel cold all over.
"What about the treasure?" Shachi was finally able to get up and walk over to them, leaning on some big stick he found on the ground for support.
"Forget the treasure, we're lost. That's more urgent," Josh snapped back.
Suddenly a low growl was heard. The group didn't pay much attention as they were still looking at the map, trying to orientate themselves.
"Can somebody not think of food right now and make their stomach stop growling!" Josh snapped once again. "You're making it hard for me to think."
"Yeah, that's the reason why…" Miyako muttered with her hands folded on her chest and staring at the distance.
It didn't take long for the bickering between the two to start again but was stopped when they heard the low growl again, this time louder as if it was closer.
The group looked around and then heard rustling in the trees.
"There's something there," Penguin gulped.
"No shit Sherlock…" Shachi muttered but before anybody could say anything more, the rustling started again. "It's probably some animal, I'll kick its ass and we can be on our marry way," he added with confidence and started walking towards the trees.
The thing that came out at that moment surely was an animal…but not anything they would have expected. The tall trees were able to hide the giant sabertooth tiger that came out. It was the size of a house, with two sharp front fangs sticking from its mouth, and saliva dripping and falling right in front of Shachi who stood there in fear now.
"I-It's a bit b-bigger than I e-expected," the brunette was able to mutter.
"Run!" Josh suddenly yelled and in an instant, the group started running, the huge beast right behind them. But their speed was no match to its big form and the tiger jumped in front of them, blocking their way, and snarled at its soon-to-be-lunch.
"We can't run, he's just too big. He'll catch up to us easily." Miyako pulled out her katana as she said that, though she didn't know what she could do with it against such a big beast.
They didn't have much time to think about what they should do as the tiger jumped in the air and towards them with his paws and razor-sharp claws aiming right at them. The group jumped to the side quickly as the ground trembled with the tiger's landing.
"We need a distraction!" Cody suddenly yelled.
"Ok…." Miyako thought for a while with a serious face then suddenly stated with a finger pointing in the air as if she just got an idea. "I propose with toss Josh to the tiger and we run away while he fights for his life."
A high kick flew through the air aimed at Miyako, who blocked Josh's heavy boot with her katana. "I'll kick your ass before the tiger can even get you, Miyako!" Josh yelled, completely red in the face from anger. Miyako didn't seem fazed by his outburst and kept a serious face as if she was really proposing to throw him to the tiger.
"But Miyako does have a point…." Penguin started deep in thought himself as he held his bare chin.
"What?" The group yelled in unison looking at Penguin as if he was crazy. The mechanic took a step backwards and started moving his arms defensively in front of him with a sweat drop. "No, No, No, not with Josh….but she did give me an idea. We do need a bait. Something or someone to lure the tiger away while we run…I have a plan!"
The tiger launched forwards towards them again and the group barely dodged. The huge animal destroyed some trees as it landed, creating a big cloud of dust.
The plan was pretty simple; two pirates will get the tiger's attention making it follow them while the others run and hide. Then the couple would split up confusing the tiger. It would follow one of them, but it's easier for one person to run and hide than the whole group. And it was decided…the lucky couple were Penguin and Shachi, who volunteered on their own.
The two mechanics yelled and kicked at the tiger to get his attention so he would start chasing them and when it finally did, they ran away screaming into the jungle until the others couldn't see them anymore.
"Well it was nice knowing you! Take care! Don't die!" Cody, Miyako and Josh yelled after them while waving.
The last thing they heard was Shachi's and Penguin's voices echoing through the jungle, "Cruel bastards!"
~…~
Miyako was sitting on a small boulder, analyzing the map. Josh and Cody were sitting on the ground next to her, Josh laying with a grass stalk as he often did, whistling on it and Cody tossing some pebbles in the air. They were all waiting for Shachi and Penguin to return who were gone for almost an hour now.
"You think they'll know how to return?" Josh finally asked.
"I hope so…" Cody mumbled and then silence fell over them again.
Suddenly something rustled in the nearby bushes. The three pirates quickly stood up taking their fighting stances. Then a cap appeared, its yellow rim peering from the leaves. Soon the rest came into view and they saw Penguin walking towards them.
"Penguin-san!" Miyako exclaimed happy to see him alive. The other two pirates grinned.
"Shachi's not back yet?" The mechanic asked looking around for his friend in worry. The others didn't like his worried expression and they just shook their head seriously, now even more anxious.
Penguin sighed and so did the rest of them. They all had depressed faces as they bowed their heads, as if imitating their first mate.
"He was a good man…and a good pirate," Josh commented and Cody nodded.
"And a good friend," Penguin added and Cody nodded again.
"Who was?" Suddenly a new voice startled them and they all jumped with a shriek looking behind them where the voice had come from. There stood Shachi, blinking confused at his depressed friends.
"Shachi!" They all exclaimed and glomped the mechanic much to his surprise. Even Miyako did, happy to see the man alive and well.
Shachi laughed when they finally let him go but not before taking some deep breathes as they almost suffocated him. "Come on, you don't think I would die that easily, do you?" He grinned and the rest of them smiled. "I managed to lose the tiger near the river, it was shallow enough to cross and he couldn't trace me by scent anymore." He sounded proud with his plan. "And…I found something." He grinned and everyone looked at him strangely.
~….~
The group blinked as they stood near the river where Shachi had been before. He had led them here but kept secretive about what his plan was. But then with a yell of "Tah-daaah!" he showed them a big boulder not so far away that had the shape of the eagles head. The group looked at the boulder and then at the map…yep, it was definitively the same as the one the map showed. They were back on track.
"Treasure, here we come!" Cody exclaimed almost jumping with glee.
The walk to the big boulder wasn't as easy as it seemed and ended up much further than they previously thought. However except the hard terrain it didn't have more perils which the group was grateful for. But even when they finally came to the boulder their journey wasn't over. It was only a mark on the map to see where they had to go next. And so they went, but this time with Cody holding the map and leading the way. He pointed towards South and off they went.
First it was a swamp with quicksand that they barely survived. Josh fell in one of the said sands and had to be pulled out with a jungle vine. On his disdain it was Miyako who threw him the vine and who he had to be grateful to and she just smirked satisfied with his awkward but not pleased look, as he tried to clean mud and sand from his clothes. Next it was the giant mosquitoes which were the size of a human head and the group had to fight them and in Miyako's case cut them down. When they finally came to the next landmark on the map, a giant tree with strange blood red flowers, they still had a good way to go.
There was a big lake with piranhas in it that they had to cross, a pack of wild bores they had to battle, and right now they were looking at an old wooden bridge that swayed on thick ropes holding it and connected two sides of a large cliff. Miyako looked down the cliff and gulped. If someone falls it was a long way down and certain death awaited them.
Penguin was first to dare cross it and he took a step forward on the old wooden boards underneath, clutching the rope next to him for dear life. He walked extra careful just to be sure and nodded when he thought it was safe. Shachi was next and then came Josh, Miyako and Cody last.
Miyako tried not to look down at the long fall but it was hard not to. And it didn't help that the bridge swayed and squeaked more with their every step. She could see Penguin and Shachi already passed to the other side. *Just a little bit more…just a little-* Her thoughts were cut off when she stepped on a grubby board, it squealed under her and then her leg went through. The fall made some of the other boards near it to crumble and Miyako started falling. She only had time for a short surprised scream when she found herself in the air.
Luckily before she could fall, Josh's hand found hers and he grabbed her quickly before she could fall to certain death. Miyako looked up with wide eyes at Josh who tried to hold her hand with his the best he could while he held the rope with his other tightly so they wouldn't both fall down.
But it was hard to hold Miyako's whole weight with just one hand even though she wasn't very heavy. It wasn't helping that the girl's hands kept sweating from the adrenaline coursing through her body. "Josh…" Miyako whimpered when she felt her hand slipping from Josh's grasp.
"Miyako, don't you dare let go!" He growled and gripped her hand as best as he could. But Josh could feel it too, his hand slowly loosing grasp on hers. He heard the yells and screams of Shachi and Penguin behind him but couldn't register what they were saying. He was concentrated on his task completely.
The girl was now holding just with her fingertips and she closed her eyes as she was about to fall down. "I'm sorry, Josh. I can't-"
But just when they thought all was lost, another firm grip took her by the wrist and Miyako's eyes snapped open. She saw Cody holding her while his other hand was on the rope as well. He had come over as fast as he could when he saw what was happening. But it gave Josh enough time to grip Miyako's hand again more securely and the two pirates pulled her up with ease now.
The samurai panted from adrenaline still in her system as she rested on her hands and knees, beads of sweat falling from her brow and on the wooden boards. "Troublesome woman." She heard Josh mutter but there was obvious relief in his voice. She felt Cody's hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok, Miya-chan?"
Miyako blinked a few times and nodded, then smirked. "You know, I hate that nickname," she whispered and Cody looked at her puzzled.
~…...~
Hours later, when it was already sundown and our group of explorers was beat to the bone, they finally reached their destination, a big red X marking the spot on the map. The group was dirty, smelly, wet and full of leaves and other filth in their clothes and messy hair, not to mention they were so tired they could hardly walk. All of them had long sticks they were propped up against that helped them walk on the rough terrain.
"Finally! Finally we're here!" Penguin exclaimed. "Right behind these trees and bushes, just a little bit more!"
They reached for the branches that were in their way and moved them aside so they could see the view of the place that held the magnificent treasure they were all waiting to see.
"I wonder if we'll have to fight someone for it. Or maybe pass some deadly area full of traps. Or solve some kind of puzzle!" Cody thought of everything that could be separating them from their soon-to-be gold and jewels. But nothing could prepare them for what they saw next…
The group stood there silently with shocked expressions on their faces. They were looking at the shoreline where another island's resort stood. Boats were docked on the shore and tourists played on the beach or walked around the resort. Little bungalows were built next to each other in case someone wanted to stay the night.
"W-what is this…?" Miyako stuttered still surprised.
"It looks like another resort…like the one we came from. But this one looks bigger." Shachi explained in a whisper not understanding the situation.
"I-I don't understand! Where is the treasure?" Cody yelled and looked at the map then noticed something written in extra small print just in the corner of the map. He squinted his eyes to see what it said and read it aloud: "Experience the great adventure in the wilderness to get to the real treasure, our brand new and improved resort. If you dare!"
"This is…like a commercial flyer! Just for fun?" Penguin exclaimed.
"Yeah, and look…" Cody pointed to a straight forward path that led through the beach and to the other resort, maybe a half an hour walk.
"I'LL BURN THIS ISLAND TO THE GROUND!" Josh yelled for the first time speaking up and the group held him in his fit of rage so he wouldn't do anything stupid. Yes, it was just a commercial flyer that showed a way through the dangerous jungle on the other side of the island though nobody really thought anyone would use that route. Especially since they had a straight passage from one side of the island to the other, safe and quick.
~….~
Law sipped some of his wine as he sat near the campfire on the beach. In a few hours their log pose will be set and they will be able to move on, but some of his crew was still missing. Most of them were drinking, eating and partying around the fire but his two head-mechanics and two head-medics and his samurai were missing.
"Where could they be?" Bepo asked blinking his small black eyes and looking around. It was already completely dark.
Just as the bear asked that, five forms appeared not too far away, walking on the small path and towards the fire. As they came closer Law's eyes widened with surprise, but he didn't say anything. Bepo on the other hand had his jaw slack as he watched with shocked eyes. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked, almost yelling.
The group of five pirates had mud, dust, dirt and sand all over them. Their clothes were torn in some places and their hairs a wild mess with leaves and twigs in it. They were all prompted up on sticks though they still swayed as they walked. Their faces were sheer look of tiredness and depression, a dark gloom above the whole group. Some of them had mosquito and other small bites on their skin and others rashes from poison ivy and who knows what.
"Where were you?" Bepo asked when he saw his first question went unanswered.
"A walk!" They all said at the same time. It was obvious by their voices they didn't want to talk about it or even remember it and Law instantly noticed so he didn't press the matter. All in all, nothing serious was wrong with them or life threatening and he'll treat their minor wounds later.
The group just walked or rather swayed into the submarine with the dark cloud of despair following them as they went.
So, I hope you had fun reading this chapter. It wasn't very long but I wanted make a chapter dedicated to; maybe secondary, but still important characters of the story. (Maybe I should've put more action in it thought)
Oh well, I was kinda in a hurry cause I know I haven't been able to post regularly these past few days.
So after this we're back to another long adventure with more chapters and hopefully I will upload it soon. I don't know if I'll be able to this week but if not, then certainly next weekend.
So please be patient (don't blame me, blame my university :P).