Treasure Hunters
Author Notes: Where have I been? I actually have excuses.
1. My dog died and I was depressed.
2. My grandfather died and I was depressed.
3. Writer's block as a result of depression.
So, no promises about when the next chapter will be ready, nor about when I will be back on schedule. I have actually been having a rather awful summer. Even my favorite escape has offered me no relief.
A few acknowledgements:
Smoltwire- First off, I'm sorry I originally thought you were a girl! Oh my god, what a faux pas! I guess it's a nasty stereotype that only girls are interested in yaoi. And thank you for all your kind words!
Zeo1fan- I'm glad to see you're enjoying the story! Thanks for the encouragement!
Riu- I'm glad you ventured out of your comfort zone to read my story. I really appreciate every reader I have, even if my material is not always the most appealing!
On with the show!
Chapter 19: The Most Important Job
Suggested Track: "Psycho Killer," Cage the Elephant
Side by side by side, three children lay flat on the grass under a purple parasol. Grass sprung between their fingers and wiggled between their toes. Torao, Mika, and Cora had no words nor coherent thoughts. At their age, they seemed hardly to know that one another existed. However, their hands touched, their heads touched, their hair was loosely tangled in the gentle wind, and they were at one. Their lives were quiet, peaceful, content. Their minds were filled only with thoughts of warmth and comfort.
Robin sat beside the three infants with a book on her lap, keeping a watchful, protective eye on them as the world around them became ever less peaceful. Franky was fixing the cannons and preparing to install his improved mechanisms. Nami was preparing a map and drawing strategic charts. Brook and Gilly were training on a dummy with wooden swords. Chopper and Luffy were both lightheartedly practicing their punches. Usopp, Sanji, and Zoro were in the lounge talking, and they had been for a long time. Though the weather that day was sunny but not excessively hot, the atmosphere was thick with something other than humidity. Robin's mind, however, was temporarily at peace. Hands sprung from the ground to catch each baby's attention on occasion, rubbing their cheeks and playing on their arms and bellies. She was most content in the position of the doting mother, even when she was not the mother at all.
Usopp came from the lounge with a pensive look on his face. He approached Robin on the grass and crouched beside her. "You feeling okay?"
"Feeling very well, thank you. How is planning going?"
"Pretty well. I think that between Sanji and myself, we've got a pretty solid idea. We just have to trust Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji to pull it off."
"Oh? What about you?" Robin smiled teasingly up at him. "Am I to assume you will be having a case of I'll-Die-If-I-Face-The-Marines?"
"No, actually, I've been given the most important job." Usopp grinned proudly. "Do you mind if I take one of these?"
"Sure, I'm certain your god-son would love to see you." Robin tickled Mika's nose, and his eyes fluttered open. His irises were pale blue, the same color as the hazy sky. Usopp scooped him up and seated himself next to Robin. "Is there any other news?"
"Only that Franky has nearly completed the repairs," she reported coolly. "I believe, however, that all of this sunlight is doing me little good." Robin closed her book. "All three of them have been fed and changed just a little while ago. All you need to do is ensure they do not injure themselves and keep them somewhat entertained. Their parents should return soon."
"Say no more! I love my little nieces and nephews," Usopp chirped, giving Mika a squeeze. "Kids love me, too."
"I will be in the girl's cabin. Call if I'm needed." Robin affectionately squeezed Usopp's shoulder, before departing towards the cabin house. Usopp smiled contently and settled himself under the parasol, humming to himself as the three infants unknowingly continued their relaxation. Even as Franky finished his work and moved for the men's cabin to rest, it seemed like an ordinary day. If there was a storm brewing, the sky didn't show it.
Nami had calculated everything carefully, and based on the map Gilea had been given, the Marine boat on their trail would intercept them around sundown that evening. When the afternoon shadows grew long, the mood began to shift. When the shadows were flat on the ground, Luffy scooped up Torao in a sling around his neck and shoulder and climbed up to the bird's nest. Sanji and Nami each took one of their infants in a similar sling and did the same. Chopper had gone up beforehand with a huge fan, and had let it run for a while to cool it off. Blankets covered the free-weights and lined the floor. Prepared baby formula, diapers, toys, and other baby supplies had been brought up as well, along with a stack of coloring books and a big box of crayons. Luffy, Nami, and Sanji settled the three infants on the blankets, and Zoro soon joined them with Gilea in tow. Usopp joined them last. He took his place with the four children, and their parents all folded their arms and stood over him.
"Keep them quiet. Keep them occupied. Keep them happy," Sanji said firmly. "This is the safest place on the ship for them to stay out of the way of the fight, so I trust you to keep it that way."
"If Mika's breathing gets rough, there's a mini-respirator in the diaper bag," Nami added, pointing to the repurposed satchel.
"Gilly, you are to stay with Uncle Usopp," Zoro instructed his daughter firmly.
"But Daddy, what about the Shishibuguy and the Marines and all the bad things?" Gilly whined.
"You shouldn't have to worry about them," Luffy answered her. "I didn't start worrying about stuff like that until I was…" He thought. It took him a very long time, before deciding, "Seven."
"But Daddy, I'm smarter than you! I have to worry!" Gilly moaned, stomping her feet. Usopp choked on a small giggle.
"Yes, you are probably smarter than Luffy was at your age-" Zoro began, but Gilly cut him off:
"I'm smarter than he is now!"
"That's a mean thing to say about your father!" Zoro scolded, but Luffy, Sanji, Nami, and Usopp were already laughing. Zoro snorted, and glowered at his daughter. "Just for that, you are most certainly not allowed down on the deck during the battle. You cannot speak about us that way."
"Fine," Gilly mumbled. She folded her arms and sat by Usopp, who put an arm around her shoulder.
"Cheer up, lambikins! We can color and read and play with the toys while they do the scary stuff."
"We've found the perfect job for Usopp," Sanji joked, but Usopp simply snorted.
"I take very good care of the kids. That's what makes me a man, not the ability to cause harm to everything around me." He gave Sanji a sideways look, and Sanji's smile dropped when he realized what Usopp was implying.
"I'll… uh… go downstairs." He vanished down through the trapdoor.
"Oooh, Usopp's really got him by the short ones," Luffy giggled. Zoro batted the back of Luffy's head.
"Little ears," he muttered ominously.
"Guys, let's leave Usopp to it. I think he can handle all of this business," Nami interrupted before Luffy and Zoro could start up. "I've got to survey the area, and we need to brief everyone on the whole plan."
"Right," Zoro agreed. He and Nami went to the trapdoor, but Luffy lingered. He crouched by Gilly for a moment.
"You know what to do, right, Hitsujiko?"
"Yes, Daddy." She kissed him on the cheek, and he kissed her on the nose.
"I trust you." He got up, and the three adults left down the rigging. Once the door closed, Usopp covered the trapdoor with a blanket and stretched out beside the three smallest Straw Hats. Gilly lay down beside him.
"You know, kiddo, you're lucky you have parents like that," he told her with a bright grin.
"I dunno. Sometimes, things are weird, and based on the stories I read, things happen that shouldn't happen," Gilly replied thoughtfully. "Still, I know… my daddies are the best. Nothing's going to change how I think about that."
"Yeah, that's a good attitude to have. I know when I was little, I would sometimes wonder if I was more trouble for my mom than I was worth!" Usopp laughed. Gilly seemed to think about this. "Of course, I behaved when I realized how much trouble I was… but I guess I was a good son."
"Wonder what I'd have to do to be a good daughter?" She mused to herself, staring up at the ceiling. The sunlight flooding the crow's nest grew ever dimmer as the sun kissed the horizon.
The shadow of a Marine ship came into Nami's telescope as she stood on top of the aft cabin house, and she immediately gave the signal to Franky at the wheel. He turned the Roar Cannon their direction.
"Where was that device located?" Franky yelled.
"It was on the front of the ship, it was like a big can of tuna!" Luffy called back. He was standing on top of the cannon, watching the sails move ever closer. Without their sharpshooter, they were depending on the expertise of the cannon's designer to make the shot, and Luffy just wanted to watch.
"I think I can see it," Nami called back to the wheel, adding, "They'll intercept in ten minutes at this clip, I advise you to fire in six!"
"I got it, girlie, but everyone better brace themselves! I'm not going to dick around with warning shots from the regular cannons, we need a clean shot! I rationed my cola for months just in case we needed this, so nobody better ruin it by falling off! T-minus 600 seconds!"
Brook and Sanji were at the bow, just behind Luffy.
"You remember your target?" Sanji quizzed Brook seriously.
"The female Marine with glasses," Brook replied nonchalantly, just as seriously. "I will tear up her pants so that I may view her panties."
"Good luck, buddy, you're a braver man than I," Sanji chuckled.
"And your duty?"
"Me, Nami, Robin, and Chopper are going to keep the small fry from assisting the four big targets. Chopper will split off to administer medical care if necessary."
"An important job, if I do say so myself," Brook agreed.
Chopper was with Robin on the main deck, with Zoro directly behind them.
"Now, Robin, I don't want you to get injured, so if you start to feel dizzy or sick at all, call me," Chopper mumbled tensely.
"Don't worry, Doctor, I'll be fine," Robin assured him, with all the confidence of a steel wall.
"T-minus 120 seconds!"
"Priority one- put Smoker in the water," Zoro remarked to himself, then called aloud, "Remember, if you see an opportunity to put Smoker in the water, do it! Otherwise, focus on your given target and avoid him!"
"I'm worried the most about him," Robin murmured. "We can only hope…"
"T-minus 40! Brace yourselves! 37! 36!" Franky began to count down.
"Luffy, you ready?" Zoro shouted to him.
"As ready as I'll ever be!" Luffy clenched his fists at his hips. "I'm not going to fail! This is for the kids!"
"19! 18! Grab something steady! 14!"
Just a few miles away, Coby spotted the Thousand Sunny. "Commodore! Enemies in firing range!"
"Fire at will!" Smoker ordered fiercely, his teeth grinding into the rind of his cigar.
Nami gasped when she saw the flashes of light from the explosions. "Incoming!"
"3! 2! 1! Firing Roar Cannon!" The Straw Hats each grabbed something steady- Luffy grabbed the lion's head, Nami and Robin grabbed masts, Sanji and Brook dropped to the ground, Zoro crouched to hold the deck with his feet, and Chopper grabbed Robin's leg- as the beam burst forth from the lion's mouth.
Marines threw themselves away as Franky's shot struck the Sea Shifter. Smoker snarled to himself.
"Fire all cannons!"
"Firing all cannons!" The whole ship erupted with cannon fire aimed at the Sunny. Luffy took a deep breath to inflate his whole body and bounced them back.
"Franky, open fire!" Zoro ordered. Franky gave him a thumbs up, and aimed for their cannons. He struck a few, but once the Marines were in range to aim their rifles and pistols, a flurry of bullets came flying across the deck. Robin and Nami ducked, Luffy left them bounce off his skin, and Franky took the hail without flinching. Zoro growled under his breath.
"Fight us like men!" He roared, and tore for the bow. The Marines turned their ship to avoid a complete collision, and they faced each other, starboard to port. Helmeppo and Coby were the first to board.
"COBY!" Luffy screamed, and launched himself at his friend. Coby dodged back and back again as Luffy began to try and strike him. Luffy swung his arms like a gorilla, trying to swipe him, and parried him back towards the cabin house. Zoro jumped at Helmeppo, swords at the ready- using the blunt edges. Tashigi advanced towards Zoro, but Brook blocked her.
"I will be your opponent, miss," he announced pleasantly, and the two started to duel near the bow. As more Marines came forward, Chopper jumped up to defend his crewmates and friends with monstrous fists. Robin tripped them as they came up, a line of fleur springing up along the railing like the eeriest fence imaginable. Helmeppo began to block Zoro's slashes with a pair of pistols, but Zoro was beginning to get the upper hand.
"Keep the Commodore back!" Zoro shouted, and he knocked one of Helmeppo's pistols away. He dodged another of Zoro's slashes, but Zoro caught him on the rebound and knocked him off his feet. He stepped on his chest and put his sword against his throat. "Nami, guard our first hostage!"
"You're going to fuck around with hostages?" Smoker roared as he sprung forward. "We're not going to put up with this shit!"
Luffy let a flurry of blows fly, and Coby was incapacitated. He gripped Coby against his body, just a millimeter from choking him. Brook was humming to himself as he parried Tashigi back and forth, but she wasn't making even an inch of progress. However, when Smoker landed on the deck and moved towards Luffy and smoke rolled across the deck.
"We don't play games here, kids," Smoker growled under his breath as the smoke rose around them. "You lot are just as good dead as alive."
"Uncle Usopp?" Gilly turned to him. He had been staring out the window with Torao slumped against his chest; she had been coloring. "I thought of something."
"What's that, kiddo?"
"I've caused enough trouble just by being here." Gilly stood up. "This is because of my stupid Wanted poster. None of this would have happened if Daddy and Daddy didn't have to protect me."
"Don't talk like that!" He lay Torao down and got up. "That's not true at all!" She shook her head.
"No, Uncle Usopp, it is. I have to be a good daughter now." Gilly grabbed her sword and made a run for the door.
"Gilly, don't!" He shouted, but it was too late. Gilly tore open the trapdoor and jumped down into the rigging. Her eyes were closed as she grabbed the rope, and she held her breath as she began to fall.
I'm sorry, everyone. This is my job!
End Notes: I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit short, but I wanted to get this chapter up before it became a whole month wait! Hopefully, chapter 20 will be finished in two weeks.
That's all for this week! Except...
Psst? Want spoilers?
Unfortunately, I don't give spoilers online. I will, however, happily give spoilers in real life! This weekend (July 30th-August 1st), I will be attending Otakon in Baltimore. My name tag will read "Ezra The Blue" and on Saturday, I will be in costume as Maka Albarn from Soul Eater. If you find me, I'll tell you what's going to happen in chapter 22!
Other than that… questions? Comments? Suggestions? I'd be happy to answer anything you ask if you leave it in a review!
See you again soon!