I don't like you by BloodyMarryMe
Okie, I hope you didn't wait long for the new chapter. :) So here it is!
So as always, let's check out some reviews first:
SeaDevil: Yeah, actually that crossed my mind too for a moment. XD
Elielephant: Law doesn't know Miyako plans to leave then after returning to Wano. They never made such a deal, but that was the reason why Miyako decided to go with them; so she could go back to Wano. Law maybe suspects something like that but he doesn't know her plans.
And once again thanks for finding the grammar mistakes. :)
akagami hime chan: Hehe yes, my exam went well and I'm glad yours did too. :) And I agree, she really is a tsundere. :P
Jaganshi Mori: Actually you gave me a good idea with Karuta that I'll probably use later. :D So thanks!
Ok, that's it so let's go!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters but I do own the OC Suzune Miyako.
CHAPTER 31
Miyako strolled down the village street once again, happy to be out of the submarine. All morning she worked in the galley and after breakfast she couldn't wait to get out and continue her exploration. This time the group of pirates was a bit smaller though, only the captain, Bepo, Josh and her since the rest had work to do in the sub. Miyako only narrowed her eyes in a deep scowl as an unpleased look crossed her face when she heard they were all coming as well, but she knew she had no choice.
However the tension in the village didn't change, actually it seemed even worse and Miyako soon heard why. Luckily, most people here talked and gossiped so it wasn't hard to hear some of it coming the group's way.
"Did you hear? Another disappeared?" An old man said in a low voice.
"Who was it this time?" The woman asked in a fearful tone.
"The only child of the Iwate family. The boy was only 12."
The woman gasped. "Oh, that's horrible. But there wasn't even a storm last night…everything looked fine."
"Yeah…they can't blame it on the storm this time…" That said, the old man glanced at the passing-by Heart pirates with a hateful stare mixed with fear.
"I hear his nickname is Surgeon of Death…," the woman quickly whispered when she saw the old man casting glances at Law. "Who knows what kind of horrible experiments he does on people!"
Another woman came towards them when she heard the two gossip. "Are the pirates really responsible for this? What if one of us is next!? What's going on here?" She was starting to panic slightly and the other woman gave her a warning look.
Then a man in his early forties came to them with a reprimanding frown. "That's enough you three! You don't want the pirates to hear."
Miyako turned to the other side of the street where people were also looking at them with fearful eyes, whispering. "Should we call the marines?" She heard one of them whisper and her eyes narrowed a little.
Josh glared at the gossiping group of people, trying to scowl at each and every one of them. "You got a problem with us? Then say it loud and clear!" As he yelled, some of the villagers took a step back or walked away into the house, yanking their children away with them. Others, however, just gave him a dark glare.
"Mister Joshua." The voice of his captain was a warning one, telling him to knock it off and Josh fell quiet immediately, but not without a slight frown on his face. He put his hands deep in his pockets and glared at the villagers with an unpleased look.
Miyako turned to her captain. "But what should we do? If this continues, they'll call the marines."
Law just kept walking, gazing ahead, as if not worried about the whole situation. But Miyako knew he was as interested in it as everyone else. "I did some research; the nearest marine base is a good few islands away. It would take them at least 4 days to get here and that's in perfect weather and no complications. We'll be long gone by the time they come," he explained, still wearing his bored expression.
Miyako couldn't understand how he could act this calm. These people were accusing him of kidnapping villagers and experimenting on them….Though now that she thought about it; would that really be so strange and uncharacteristic for Law? She could actually picture him grinning widely with a psychotic expression on his face, scalpel high in the air and ready to cut open his newest victim. A slight shiver ran down her spine, but Miyako shook her head mentally and discarded the idea. Law wouldn't do it…after all, he wouldn't risk the safety of his crew for his own personal pleasure…she hoped. And she would certainly notice it, after all, she lived on the submarine too and a body isn't that easy to hide. Even though Miyako's mind could already think of a few ways. And who's to say Law wasn't sneaking off in the dark of the night while everyone's asleep.
*No, no, no, what am I thinking? I can't accuse and doubt him like this? I'm sure he wouldn't do that.* Yet the girl knew Law was known for his cruelty and loved to play with humans' bodies...that's why the Ope Ope no Mi was perfect for him. So to say he wouldn't do that…could she really even claim it with certainty? Could she believe it?
For now, she decided to ignore the stares and fearful whispers and instead search for a sword, which was a harder task than she thought, when she realized nobody would talk to her. As soon as they saw her approach, they would scatter away quickly, almost running from the girl. It wasn't so surprising, considering she was with the group of merciless pirates, or at least that's how the villagers saw them.
When she turned around, back towards her group with a troubled expression, she was surprised to see there was no sign of Josh and Bepo and instead only Law was standing there with his nodachi resting on his shoulder. She blinked in puzzlement and went to him.
"Where are the others?"
"Mister Joshua wanted to get some personal supplies and I sent Bepo with him just in case. Besides, I needed some medical supplies so they went to take care of that too." Law explained, saying more than he did all day.
"I see…" Miyako gazed around, more focused on whom next to try and catch for some information.
The captain smirked. "It seems you are experiencing some problems. Need any help?" His voice and expression was filled with amusement as usual and the Wano girl stared at him suspiciously.
"How?" She asked curtly.
Law glanced around as if searching for a target and smirked when he found one. He went towards an old man who was sitting on a bench nearby, sipping some tea and playing shogi. Only, he was the sole player. When he saw Trafalgar approach, he didn't make the same fearful face as everybody else. Instead, he calmly looked up at Law and waited to hear what the young pirate would say.
"Hello, sir. If you could help us a little here." Law smirked. Meanwhile, Miyako walked over to them as well and examined the old man. He was in his late sixties with silver hair tied in a loose ponytail, and dark grey eyes that looked as piercing and knowing as Law's. But they also seemed as if the wisdom of the world would pour out of them at any second. What interested her the most, however, was a katana tied securely around his waist and something told Miyako it wasn't just for decoration.
"How can I help you, young man?" He asked in a slow voice, sipping his tea calmly.
Trafalgar glanced at the girl with the corner of his eye, telling her to speak and the girl bowed to the old man respectfully. "Do you know if there are any weaponry shops here? Or a blacksmith? Anyone who could forge a katana."
The old man eyed her. "How interesting…And what would a young girl like you do with such a dangerous weapon? It's not something anyone should acquire." He warned, staring at her in a strange way that Miyako couldn't decipher.
The samurai girl didn't really want to explain herself to this man since it was none of his business and she could tell Law was getting impatient as he crossed his arms, resting the nodachi in the crook of his arm and tapped a sole finger on his forearm.
"I need it for what the katana is needed for; for fighting." She said in a matter-of-fact voice as if it was the most known thing in the world.
"Hmm…and why do you fight?" The old man continued while staring at his cup of tea as if he'll find the answer to his question somewhere inside it.
Miyako's eyes widened a little. That was a question she asked herself thousands of times and still didn't get a clear answer to it. It was the question her master asked her a few times as well….but never helped her with the answer. Why did she fight? Why did she risk her life? Why did she swing her sword? She hoped in her journey as a rounin and a rurouni she would find these answers. She looked at the ground with an intense look of wonder in her eyes, then muttered; "I'm not sure yet myself…"
Seconds later, her eyes became more determined and she looked at the man seriously. "But that is why I need a katana…so one day I could find the answer to my question. To all my questions. I know only one thing; I can only do it by fighting and swinging my sword."
The man smiled and finally looked at her with his old piercing eyes. "You seem confused…but you are on the right path. I hope you don't stray from it."
Miyako wasn't really sure what he meant by that, but she didn't have time to ask as an impatient pirate captain cleared his throat, indicating for them to hurry up. He listened with interest to their little conversation and was very intrigued by the girl's answer, but he didn't want to spend all day here. They still had work to do.
The man pointed down a certain street. "Go down this street, then turn left. There is a small shop that sells kitchen knives and similar tools. Ask for the owner, Takahashi Izumi. Her father was once a skilled blacksmith in Wano, who made katana for some pretty famous samurai. He is retired now, but perhaps such a determined child, like yourself, will be able to convince him to make one last sword." The old man smiled knowingly to the girl.
Law raised an eyebrow. "Is there really no weaponry shop or blacksmith who makes weapons here?" He found it hard to believe since Wano was famous for skilled warriors and flawless weapons.
The old man stared at the supernova with slightly narrowed eyes, which Law didn't particularly like. "We are a peaceful village, Trafalgar-dono." Law was sure there was another meaning in the man's answer that made his irritation rise a little more, but him being himself, he didn't show any signs of it on his features.
He just turned around and called out to Miyako so they could finally go.
~…~
As they walked, Miyako thought about the old man. "Did that man seem strange to you somehow…?" She finally asked.
"Hmm…" The pirate just hummed, but didn't say anything. Then after a while he added, "Well it was easier to get information out of him than I thought it would."
The samurai eyed him suspiciously. "So when you asked if I needed help, you were actually thinking of forcing the information out of the first person you saw…" It was said more as a statement than a question.
Law smirked at her comment. "Miss Miyako, you keep forgetting one very important thing…" He looked at her, still with that smirk and a slightly evil glint in his eyes. "…I am a pirate after all."
~…~
As they walked into the small shop, Miyako could see a young woman talking to a man at the counter. She looked around the shop and saw all kinds of tools; they had everything from hunting knives and scythes to pottery. But among all the things, there were no weapons. Not one sword, not even some old rusty one. Miyako sighed, a bit disappointed.
Trafalgar saw the girl's displeased expression. "The old man said the blacksmith has retired." Suddenly, then his expression turned more evil and he grinned. "However that doesn't mean we can't…persuade him."
The samurai girl scoffed. "I don't really want to force him to do it. Let's ask first."
A gasp interrupted their conversation and the young man in the shop walked over to them. He examined Miyako as if she was a painting in a museum, with an excited glint in his eyes.
Miyako stared back in question at the tall, slender man towering over her, giving him a rather uncomfortable gaze.
"Such beautiful eyes." The man mumbled then walked around and took a strand of her hair. "and good, well-kept hair…." He mumbled some more. "I wonder about the teeth…" He pulled back the corner of Miyako's mouth on everybody's surprise. "Good teeth…."
Miyako's eye twitched in annoyance. "Excuse me," she exclaimed as she pulled back, glaring slightly at the man.
The said man blinked as if he was pulled out of a daze and then smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, sorry, I just got a bit carried away. It's just that you look so much like a doll and I was really interested. I would really like to make a doll that looks like you…if you would be willing to model for me sometimes?"
Miyako could just blink in wonder and then her eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
She looked at the tall man in front of her, who still had a nervous smile on his face. He had black shoulder-length hair and dark eyes of the same color, which were mostly hidden behind thin glasses. He was very pale, as if he rarely went out of the house and she could just barely notice small dark circles around his eyes, which indicated lack of sleep.
"Excuse him...Reiji is just a bit...eccentric." The young woman, who was the owner of the shop, interrupted as she walked over to them. "But he's not a bad person…you just have to get used to him." She laughed, making the man blush a little. The woman had a beautiful bronze tan skin and big, chocolate brown eyes, with her long hair curly and flowing down her back. She was a real beauty, Miyako noted.
"Oh right, I didn't even introduce myself! How rude of me!" The tall man suddenly realized and quickly bowed to them. "My name is Azuma Reiji, I own a shop with traditional Wano dolls and puppets."
Miyako's eyes widened a little as she remembered looking through the shop window with her friends. "Oh, that shop!" She bowed back with a small smile. "They were all really exquisite. I'm Suzune Miyako by the way and this is my captain, Trafalgar Law." She motioned to a quiet Trafalgar who had a serious and thoughtful look on his face as he gazed at Reiji. The samurai didn't know what was the matter with him, but thought something had to be troubling him since he hardly said a word ever since they got here. Law nodded at the man and the woman, but stayed quiet.
"Oh, so you've seen it. Well thank you for the compliment. A-Anyway, sorry about before." Reiji gave her another sheepish smile. "It's just I haven't had much inspiration lately and then I saw you; I would really like a doll made after you." He told her with a wide smile and that excited glint in his eyes that never wavered. "Perhaps if you would come to my studio where I work sometimes…It's behind the shop-"
"No." The low voice broke out and cut off the young man. Everybody looked at Law, but he didn't seem to care. "We are here for other business, we don't have time for your requests." He finally explained and looked at Miyako impatiently.
"Right!" Miyako said as she remembered their task. She turned towards the young woman. "You must be the shop owner, Takahashi Izumi"
The woman looked a bit surprised they knew her by name, but nodded anyway.
"The truth is, we would like to talk to your father."
Izumi looked even more surprised now. "Father? What do you want from him?"
"W-well…it's about…forging a sword." Miyako said as she shifted her weight uncomfortably. She was feeling anxious all of a sudden.
Izumi's face softened a little. "I'm sorry, but my father doesn't do that anymore."
"Can we just talk to him, please?" The samurai girl insisted, not ready to give up yet.
The woman didn't look pleased, but after a pause for thought, she turned around and headed to the back of the shop. "Wait here. I'll tell him you're here."
A speck of hope appeared in Miyako's mind, though she knew it was far too soon to be celebrating. Nevertheless, she decided to convince this man to make her a sword no matter what. She knew there was no way she could proceed onto the dangers of new islands that were to come without her weapon. She would just be a burden to everyone and she told herself she will never be that again. Not like in Point Blank. She wanted to protect herself and her friends and the only way she could do that was with a katana. She never wanted to feel weak and useless like that day again.
Izumi came back shortly with a sorry expression. She stared at the two pirates and shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry."
Miyako sighed, disappointed and just when she was about to say something, Law passed them both by and started walking towards the back of the shop. The two women stared at him with confused eyes.
Without turning he asked a question directed to Miyako. "Getting a new katana is important to you, no? Are you willing to give up so easily?"
That made the girl's crushed confidence return and her expression hardened a little. She hurried to his side and started walking beside her captain, towards the back room.
"H-hey, wait a minute! You can't-" Izumi was about to block their path, but one meaningful look from the Surgeon of Death was enough to make her falter and step aside with a worried expression. She looked back at Reiji who simply stood there, blinking with a slightly confused but interested glint in his eyes.
Law moved a small curtain aside and saw the back room where all the items were made. It was the forge. There, a big man sat. Even though his face showed old age, his hair and rich beard were dark and showed no streaks of white in them yet. He had a hard, piercing gaze with small brown eyes. The man was working with hot led, molding it into another tool as he hit the soft metal with a small hammer. When the man heard people come in, he turned around and gave them a slight glare.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Papa, they're the people I just told you about…," Izumi explained as she appeared behind Law and Miyako.
The man's glare hardened towards the couple. "I told you to send them away."
"Yes, but…" She started talking in an insecure whisper, but the pirate captain cut her off.
"We don't take 'no' so easily, Mister Takahashi," he explained with a smirk. "Especially not without a reason."
The man snorted. "You young brats are really cocky these days. I heard of you, Trafalgar Law, a famous rookie pirate. So what are you going to do, force me to make it? You can try…" The man gripped the poker he was holding a bit tighter.
Law's expression was serious now and he gripped his nodachi a bit tighter as well. "If necessary."
"Wait!" Miyako stopped the bickering and eased the tension in the air a little. "Please, Takahashi-san, I don't want to force you to do anything. But I really need a new sword. I know you're retired, but would you please give us a reason as to why you're so against it. Is it…because we're pirates?" The last statement she said a bit softly, as if regretting it.
Takahashi's eyes narrowed a little. "It has nothing to do with you. I'm done making weapons that kill people and make them miserable. My swords had taken enough lives as it is…no more."
Miyako and the man looked at each other for a second, both having serious but unreadable expressions. Finally, Miyako bowed slightly. "I see. Then, we won't bother you anymore," she answered softly, before standing up straight again and turned to leave.
Before the captain could call out for her, she was already out of the shop. Reiji tried to stop and talk to her about his plan some more, but she didn't stop for him either and just kept walking out of the store.
As Law and Miyako walked down the street, the man finally decided to ask. "Why did you just leave like that? Was your determination so weak?"
The girl stopped a few paces ahead of him so he could only stare at her back. She was quiet for a while, and just as Law was about to say something else, she explained. "It's true I need a sword, but I don't want it at the price of other people's dreams and determination."
The man tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
She continued. "A katana is used for killing. It's as simple as that. No matter how you wield it; for protecting others, or simply assassinating, the result is the same…you will hurt people or take their lives. And just as the ones wielding it have to be aware of that fact, so does the ones who make them. They are aware that the weapons they make will kill other people. Perhaps you wouldn't say they're responsible for what the owner does with the weapon blacksmiths make…but this man feels he is. Takahashi-san feels responsible for the swords he made that took other people's lives and that's why he stopped making them. I can't force this man to trample over his vow just because of my selfish reasons. No matter how much I need a katana."
At the end of her speech, the girl turned to look over her back, towards her captain. Her gaze was completely serious. Law could see there was no changing her mind and a part of him could understand her. True, he was a pirate, and he took what he wanted and when he wanted it…it was a privilege when you lived outside the law. But even if this girl was a pirate and lived outside the law now as well, she still had certain beliefs she didn't want to break. Law too had some beliefs and a code even if he was a criminal, so he could understand what the girl meant by her words.
He nodded and walked over to her until they were next to each other. That was the only confirmation he gave her, but she understood it and smiled at him slightly.
"Thank you for understanding," she spoke up, still holding that smile.
The pirate captain raised an eyebrow in wonder, so Miyako thought she should explain. "Well, I could see you weren't too happy with his attitude. You probably wanted to make him forge a sword just to spite him, right?" She was still smiling lightly, but there was a slight troubled glint in her eyes.
The captain smirked. "Maybe a little bit." He didn't want to admit it, but Miyako was right on the mark.
~…~
In the late afternoon Law gave everyone some time off so most of the crew went into the village and found the first tavern where they could drink. Miyako didn't really like the idea of getting wasted and she was still a bit down because of the whole sword thing. Ever since Law and her got back, she was deep in thought, thinking of how to be useful and find a replacement weapon until she finds a new sword.
However the guys didn't even want to hear her protests as they dragged her out of the submarine and into the village. Even their captain went out, who was known as the man who never stopped working. And on everybody's pleasant surprise, tonight was the perfect night for a night off.
"Annual Kyonin festival! Tonight!" Cody read as he looked at one of the posters.
The group glanced around the village and saw that people were preparing for the festival, decorating the village and putting different stands outside. It would start in just a few hours.
"Lucky! Now we can actually have an excuse to get drunk." Josh grinned and Miyako rolled her eyes at his statement.
"Like you need a reason anyway," she muttered.
"Meh, you're right…I can't argue with that one," Josh answered with a shrug.
"But this is going to be soooo fun!" Cody almost jumped from excitement. The tall medic could sometimes act like such a child. Still, that made Miyako smile. He turned around to his samurai friend. "Hey, hey, Miyako, let's all wear traditional Wano clothing for the festival! It's gonna be more fun and we'll fit right in." He grinned.
Josh smirked at him mockingly. "Yeah, you'll fit riiight in." He pointed at Cody's blueish, spiky hair while all of the villagers had dark colored hair and similar eyes. Cody scoffed, but ignored him as he looked back at Miyako, "So what do you say?"
"We say you can't take your jumpsuits off!" A new voice came towards them. It was Penguin's voice, as he and Shachi ran up to the group. "You'll be too hard to find among the crowd and what if something happens and we need to find you urgently?" Shachi nodded approvingly at his partner's reprimanding speech.
Cody frowned. "You two are no fun," he whined in a lightly pouty voice.
Josh rolled his eyes. "Well I wouldn't dress in some weird clothes anyway."
"Hey!" Miyako exclaimed a bit loudly as she frowned at Josh for calling Wano clothes, the clothes she usually wore, weird.
But Josh just ignored her. "Come on, let's go find a drink."
Cody snickered. "You alcoholic."
"It's really surprising how much he can drink for such a small person." Penguin whispered to Miyako as they walked, receiving a smack to the back of his head by Josh. Just like that, a new argument started.
The Wano girl smirked. "How do you even convince them you're not underage when you look like a boyscout?"
"Shut up, Ugly woman! I'm older than you!" He yelled at her.
"Well you're certainly not acting like it." She stuck her tongue at the redhead.
The two mechanics and Cody watched the two bicker with sweat-drops trickling down their foreheads. They all murmured the same thing in unison, "You both act like kids..." Luckily, the two didn't hear them over their rising argument.
~…~
The streets were lit and decorated with paper lanterns and paper decorations that the village kids cut up in different shapes and colors. The main street was filled with food stands and games where you could win little prizes and charms. A group of villagers were singing and playing on flutes, small hand drums and lutes. A woman sang a song of spring and birth of life. People danced in the little village square while children ran around playing. It seems the tension from earlier loosened a little and the people decided to forget about two incidents just for this night. Though Miyako doubted the families of the missing ones were enjoying themselves tonight and she could still see a few man whispering in low voices and giving the pirates glares every now and then.
The samurai girl looked around the festive village with a wide smile as she enjoyed the music, the decorations and the smell of food coming from the stands. She could see everything from takoyaki to stands with different kinds of sweets she hadn't eaten since childhood. She even dressed for the occasion, putting on her kimono, which earned her a pouty frown from Cody since he had to wear his plain white jumpsuit.
"Everything looks so nice and lively," she noted as she gazed at the dancing people.
The guys looked at each other and grinned.
"Well then, let's get a move on and let this party started!" Penguin exclaimed, as both him and Shachi took her under each arm and into the crowed. Miyako was a bit surprised, but let herself be taken away by them and into the swirling and chattering people and bright lantern lights.
She could see other Heart pirates enjoying themselves as well. Some of them ended up in the local tavern, while others tried flirting with the girls, and some were stuffing themselves next to the food stands or playing festival games. She looked over at Josh who was involved in a drinking contest between his own crewmates and some village men, and indeed, for such a small guy, he could really drink a lot.
Meanwhile, Miyako was eating some takoyaki and drinking hot tea while watching Penguin and Shachi get rejected by another village girl. This time Penguin actually got slapped and Shachi got a drink splashed in his face. Cody on the other hand had more luck and was currently dancing with a girl. The guy really had a way with the ladies, which made jealousy obvious on Penguin's and Shachi's faces. Miyako scanned the crowed and saw Law sitting on a nearby bench, Bepo by his side, as he scanned the crowd with a smirk, obviously amused by the actions of his crew. For a moment the two's eyes met, but the girl quickly looked away with a small blush. She could feel her heart skip a beat. *What's wrong with me? I'm acting strange again.*
Miyako ignored what just happened, deciding to forget about it, and not that she really had any other choice as she was pulled up by a tipsy Penguin all of a sudden. "Let's go see what else they have!" She stared at him strangely for a few seconds, seeing his slightly reddish face colored because of the booze, but in the end she nodded with a smile. She let herself be pulled through the crowd, not really enjoying it though she couldn't do much about it anyway at the moment, since Penguin kept walking quickly and pulling her along by the hand. And so they went. From the takoyaki stand to the sweets stand where Miyako took a green tea ice cream, from where they came to a small group of people who played Renju where Miyako came to the finals but was in the end beaten by the same old man Law and her met in the street when asking about a sword shop.
The old man came to her after the match and she bowed to him respectfully, congratulating him. She realized she still didn't even know what the man's name was. Somehow he seemed rather mysterious.
"So did you manage to persuade Takahashi Muso to forge you a sword?" He said with a smile.
Miyako realized Muso must've been the name of the bulky blacksmith. She shook her head a bit sadly, but a small smile still graced her lips. She told herself she didn't want to stress over that tonight…or rather the guys told her not to. She was sure Josh even threatened her about it at one point. She remembered the conversation she had with the redhead, but then shook it off, returning back from her thoughts to reality. "No, it seems I won't find a sword here after all."
The old man just smirked before he turned away. He gave her one last glance. "It's still early to tell. People change their minds, so you never know." He had a mysterious smirk as he said that and Miyako couldn't understand the man's optimism, though she doubted his words. She doubted there was a way for Muso Takahashi to change his mind.
Before she could think more about it, she was once again pulled by Penguin and this time Shachi as well. And after seeing some more stands, making and releasing some paper lanterns into the night sky and stuffing themselves with both food and drinks, Miyako found herself in front of a stall with a goldfish scooping game. It was simple…or rather it sounded simple. But Miyako couldn't catch any goldfish at all and she was getting more frustrated by the minute. Every time, the special paper on the scooper called poi would break before she could get the fish out properly. She let out a frustrated sigh, but then her breath hitched at an amused voice coming from right behind her.
"It seems you're having some trouble there, Miss Miyako."
Miyako turned around quickly to see Law looming over her shoulder and looking at the small pond, an amused smirk on his features.
She frowned at his expression. "Oh, and I suppose you could do better?" She said a bit bitterly and sarcastically at the same time.
Law ignored her comment, but his amused stare never faltered. There was also something else in his eyes that it he couldn't really decipher. Almost as if there was a playful glint mixed in with his usual steely gaze. Then he took a scooper and Miyako watched as he dipped it in the water and then waited patiently for a fish to come nearby. With a calm and fluid motion, he scooped it without any damage to the poi and then put it in the bowl. He turned to look at Miyako with a raised eyebrow, along with a 'You-were-saying?' expression, while obviously gloating.
Miyako put on a barely visible frown with slightly narrowed eyes, though it wasn't in anger. She didn't say anything, just turned back to the pond, now even more determined to catch a fish. She tried to scoop the fish but they would swim away and after a while Miyako would lose her patience and try catching it quicker, making the poi break even if she almost caught the fish in it. She cursed mentally. *Dammit! What am I doing wrong? I'm doing it exactly like he did.* She looked at Law from the corner of her eyes, barely noticeable, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw he was already putting his fifth fish in the bowl, while she had none. *I am not going to lose to him!* But she was just getting more frustrated and impatient.
She was just about to give up when a small chuckle made her freeze. It wasn't exactly the chuckle though. It was the fact that the breath that came from that chuckle tickled the back of her neck, indicating the person was very close to her, and also it was the hand that rested on her own hand which still held the scooper. The hand on top of hers had a darker tan than hers, showing some contrast in their skin, and there was of course the word Death there, spelled by the tattooed letters on each of the fingers.
Miyako's head turned slightly back, towards the man. "What are you doing?" She demanded, a bit freaked out at the unexpected closeness.
"I know you're too stubborn to ask me to show you how it's done. So I decided to show you anyway."
Miyako's eyes narrowed warningly. "Don't you think you're a taaad bit too close?" Her voice was full of sarcasm since it was obvious Law was way too close, at least for her liking. And it's not like when he would get close to her and tease her when they were all alone. He was doing it in front of everyone and for everyone to see. She hoped the crew wasn't anywhere near to see this…especially not any of her closer friends, or else she would be teased for a lifetime. Miyako tried to ignore the rising blush and heat in her cheeks.
The captain only smirked, not fazed at all. "How else could I show you? Now…be quiet and watch. Just follow the movement of my hand….and relax." He emphasized the last word a little since the girl seemed as stiff as stone right now.
Miyako sighed and gave up on trying to get Law away from her. Obviously he didn't have any intention to do so right now and she knew when Law set his mind on something, there won't be any way other than his way. She tried her best to follow his instructions, but it was hard when he had his chest flush against her back and breathing down her neck, not to mention the warm hand on top of hers. Still, she tried her best to focus on the pond and the fish in front of her.
Law's hand moved, moving Miyako's as well and she relaxed a little when she focused on the task at hand, forgetting everything else. For a while they just waited and Miyako was beginning to get impatient again. But Law just murmured a "Not yet", close to her ear. "You have to wait to the very last moment….and then…" He moved her hand in one small movement. "...you just go with the flow of the fish's movement." He finished and scooped the fish gently, placing it into the bowl. Miyako didn't say anything, but felt a rush of happy excitement like a little child would. "See? It's easy. You're just too impatient and you need to relax more," he finally said and smirked at her, moving away from her and giving her much needed space. Miyako turned around with a smirk. "Well Mister Law, it seems this isn't your first fish-scooping," she said teasingly.
Law didn't answer though, only smirked in return. Miyako noticed his lack of response. He was always so closed up and private, so mysterious and cryptic. She realized she didn't know anything about her captain, the man she had sailed with for more than nine months now.
Law motioned to the pond and got her out of her thoughts. "Now you try."
She looked down at the fish and dipped the scooper in, waiting patiently. At one moment when a fish was close she wanted to move and try to catch it, but remembered how Law did it and remained waiting patiently and unmoving. Then at the right moment, she moved the scooper under the fish, yet not too deep into the water and scooped it, putting the goldfish into her bowl. She smiled and glanced back at Law, not even realizing she was still smiling excitedly.
Law seemed taken aback at first by Miyako's excited and bright smile, though it was so subtle nobody could even tell he seemed surprised. But then he just smirked wider at her and stood up, releasing the goldfish back to the pond. Miyako looked at his actions with confusion since usually it was expected to keep all the fish you catch.
The pirate saw her look and simply shrugged. "I have no interest in goldfish. They're not really useful for medical experimenting either."
Miyako sweat-dropped. *I should've known…* Suddenly the moment, which somebody could even call romantic, was completely shattered. She then looked at the two goldfish in her own bowl that were swimming around each other. "I want to keep mine." She said and looked at Law with almost puppy-dog, big eyes.
The pirate captain sighed and crossed his arms on his chest. "If you want. But why both? Isn't one enough?"
"But if I only take one, it'll be lonely." The girl explained with a look that clearly stated a reason like that was a given.
Trafalgar sighed and shrugged again, not really caring either way.
The man at the stall gave Miyako the two fish in a clear bag and she thanked him with a smile before running back to Law and showing him the bag with a big proud grin of an innocent child, which he returned with a smirk.
They went through the stalls together until Miyako saw something familiar. One of the stands had all kinds of Wano dolls and puppets on it and she instantly remembered them from the shop. As they came closer, she could see Reiji standing there and talking to some customers. When he noticed her, he smiled brightly and waved his hand, calling her closer.
"Reiji-san." Miyako bowed slightly as a 'Hello' and Reiji returned the bow. He also greeted Law, but the captain didn't return the warm look, not even a nod of his head, just the usual expressionless stare which made Reiji uncomfortable.
"I didn't know you were going to sell your dolls here as well," Miyako said as she started examining his work. "They're all so nice."
Reiji smiled. "Yes, are you interested in any of them?" Then he remembered their conversation in the blacksmith's shop. "Have you thought about my proposal? I would really like it if you could model for me." He stared at her with that artist's eye as if seeing a perfect piece of wood he was about to mold for his dolls.
Miyako felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze. "Well, I…" She really didn't feel comfortable with doing so, though some extra money wouldn't hurt. She barely had any, right now. But first she needed to see how far Reiji intended to take that modeling he was talking about it. Was it just her face…or something more as well?
Suddenly a lively tune started playing and Miyako's ears almost perked up. "I know this song. This used to play at every summer festival in my hometown." Miyako completely forgot about Reiji and their current conversation as she listened to the song. She turned towards the playing group at the little village square that was filled with people dancing. Then she turned back to Law and gave him the bag before he could even protest. "Hold this." Before he could say anything about her ordering him around, Miyako ran off into the crowd, kicking of her wooden sandals in the process.
The music started slow, then got faster with each note and Miyako swirled and moved with the melody remembering every move of the dance that she was taught as a kid. The people around her moved the same way, clapping their hands at the exact same moment when the song played a certain part. She saw Penguin and Shachi talking on the side, looking somewhat bored and she grinned. She ran up to them and before they could protest, pulled them in the square among people to dance. The two mechanics needed some time to see and understand the movements, but then started dancing themselves, laughing in the process. Then Miyako saw Cody standing next to the captain and rushed towards them.
"I'll borrow him for a while," she quickly noted to Law and pulled Cody away.
"Hey, wha-?" Cody tried to ask something, but was pushed into the circle and Miyako grabbed him under his arm as they twirled together. Then they changed partners and she twirled with Shachi and so it went on.
She saw Josh as well, but he was almost passed out by the alcohol so there was no point trying to ask him to join in. But then as she danced, her eyes fell on the captain, who was leaning against the wall and looking at the dancing crowd. And she smirked.
Law watched his samurai dance with a smile on her face. A sweet and true smile that she rarely showed. Right now she looked like all her worries disappeared and that made her lit up brightly like the lanterns around them. He couldn't really explain it, but seeing Miyako like this somehow brought him satisfaction as well. As if he was glad about her happiness. He didn't have any more time to actually think about it or admire the image of the dancing samurai girl, because she was next to him in a flash and took the fish from his hand giving them to a crewmember nearby.
When she took his hand with a grin, Law was surprised, but it didn't take long for his mind to understand what was happening.
"Miss Miyako, I don't dance." He warned, though he was already being pulled to the dance floor.
"Liar. You danced with me in Maple Town, didn't you?" She turned around and smiled at him, showing she wasn't mad by his statement, but had no intention of letting go. And Law actually liked the thought of Miyako not wanting to let go.
Just as they came to the dance floor and were about to partner up, other people grabbed both of them by the arms and both Miyako and Law ended up dancing with someone completely different. A man in his fifties took Miyako by the arm and started dancing in circles, and a young girl, about 15, took Law and started dancing with him with a big smile on her face. And every time they seemed close and were about to partner up, the same thing would happen and they would be grabbed by someone else.
Miyako looked over her shoulder and gave a look to Law and he returned it as he was too looking through the crowd at Miyako. There wasn't much they could do though, and Law was beginning to get irritated by the whole situation and the people around him.
Then both of them managed to wriggle out of other people's grasp as the tune changed and just as they ended up with each other, holding both hands and fingers entwined, the music stopped. For just a moment longer, the couple looked at each other's eyes, even though the music wasn't playing. But when they realized it, they both let go quickly and clapped together with the people around them, still intently staring at each other. Miyako gave Law a smile and a shrug as if saying 'Too bad.'
Later, she found her wooden sandals that she so carelessly kicked off and rejoined the rest of the crew with a smile. Suddenly she saw a hand in front of her and saw Law reaching out and asking for her to join him, his hand outstretched for her to take it. He had his usual smirk on his face. For a while Miyako just blinked in slight surprise, but then smirked back and took his hand slowly as they disappeared in the crowd to enjoy the festival together.
~….~
That night Miyako was so tired that it didn't need long for her to fall into deep sleep, completely exhausted.
Unfortunately Law didn't have such luck, because his resting time didn't last long. He was awoken at 7am by Penguin who was pounding loudly on his doors. Law groaned and turned from his stomach to his back, trying to wake up and rub sleep out of his eyes. "What now?" He grumbled in complete annoyance.
"Captain! We have a problem!" Penguin called as he momentarily stopped his pounding.
Law somehow sat up on the edge of his bed, still with sleepy and half-lidded eyes, looking for his clothes. He got dressed as fast as he could in the state he was in and opened the door where Penguin stood with a worried expression on his face.
Law didn't even have time to ask what was going on before the mechanic already started explaining. "Captain, there's a problem with the submarine. You gotta see this."
"This better be good," Law muttered, more to himself, and fixed the fuzzy hat on his head as he followed one of his head mechanics.
He was a bit surprised when he noticed Penguin was taking him out on the deck instead of the engine room. He was sure, when Penguin said they had a submarine problem, it had something to do with the lowest sub floor where all the machinery is. But he had no idea why the black haired mechanic was leading him to the deck.
When they reached the deck, Law could see three more of his mechanics there, plus Shachi, who looked as irritated and as sleepy as Law. The brown haired head mechanic was never a morning person. The captain noticed that all of them, except Shachi, were from the first shift working in the engine room.
When he noticed Law, Shachi ran up to him and greeted the doctor with a nod of his head and a "Captain."
"What's going on here?" Law wasted no time with morning greetings.
"There's a problem with one of our engines, sir," Penguin explained first.
"Then why are we here and not in the engine room?" The captain couldn't help the slight annoyance in his voice.
"Well, that's the thing sir…The problem isn't internal." Shachi started to explained and continued when Law gave him a questioning look. "The engine didn't overheat or something like that and all the circuits look fine from the engine room."
"The problem is on the outside, captain." Penguin finished. "When we tried starting it up, it almost blew up in our faces. So when we didn't see any problems from the engine room, we had to go down there to look for the problem." He pointed at the bottom of the sea.
"Right now Mori is down there, estimating the damage."
Just at that moment Law heard Cal speak through a den den mushi, obviously communicating with Mori who was down in the water, and after a few minutes, Mori came out in a diving suit and a big oxygen tank as they helped him get on the deck. He took off his mask and then the rest of the equipment, and hurried towards Law and the two mechanics.
"What's the damage Mori?" Penguin asked.
"As we suspected, one of two main engines is busted. But…" The young mechanic looked at his superiors with an uncertain gaze.
"What is it, Mori? Spit it out!" Shachi hurried him.
"Well, sir, the circuits look cut and some parts of the engine appear as if someone pierced it with something…as if someone tempered with the engine."
Law's eyes narrowed at that piece of information. He didn't like this, he didn't like this at all. "So the engine has been sabotaged."
Mori nodded. "Probably, sir. Luckily, the other ones are fine. I checked them all."
Law nodded. "How long would it take to repair it?"
"3 to 4 days, sir…Luckily we have the spare parts needed, but whoever did this, they busted it good."
"Make it 3. If nothing else goes wrong we might still be able to sail away at the planned time. The log pose sets in three days." Law ordered, looking at Penguin and Shachi as they saluted with a 'Yes, sir!' But Law was already deep in thought. Why would someone do this? Didn't the villagers want them gone as soon as possible? Besides, this village doesn't look like they have the equipment needed for diving and also tempering with the engine. Yet who else could have done this? And why?
"Could it be the villagers are trying to hold us until the marines get here? Maybe it's a trap." Shachi suggested, obviously thinking of the same thing as Law.
"Maybe…but the village doesn't look so evolved as to have such skilled equipment that they would need for this. Besides, they don't even work with machinery here. Still, we shouldn't exclude any possibilities," the captain added as he tapped a finger on his chin, playing with the patch of hair there. Then he looked at his two mechanics. "Shachi, you will stay here with Mori and the others and start fixing the engine immediately. Penguin, you take two more men and start asking around the village if there is anyone with any mechanical knowledge there. They'd be our first and only suspect for now."
The two mechanics saluted once again. "Aye, aye captain!"
And just as the dark doctor thought things couldn't get any worse, a loud, gruff voice raised through the air, coming from somewhere below, next to the docked submarine.
"LAW, YOU BASTARD! SHOW YOURSELF! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! GIVE HER BACK!"
Proofread by Dokuroskull
Hope you liked it. It's getting more interesting now. ;) The next chapter should be here soon since I already started writing it. So be patient and see you soon!
Reviews, constructive criticism, comments and questions are always welcome so feel free to leave some.