Chapter Five.
This chapter has no action but it is more of a chapter that will lead up to a few action filled chapters. So enjoy it and stay tuned for the real action.
If you have any questions please ask away!
The town was busy like usual as the citizens all went along with their daily lives, children of the town ran about happily but were not allowed to leave the town line. The town had a small dock but it wasn't big enough for any type of merchant ship to dock at it, only big enough for small fishing boats to be stored at it. Within the crowds of the citizens were men who wore the white arm bands of the "local guards" all of them armed with weapons that any regular pirate would carry. The citizens seemed to be uncomfortable around the men and didn't share many words with them as they passed by.
Located at the far end of the town near the shore line was a small diner that had a large amount of costumers per day, but oddly enough the close sign was hanging in the window. As the Fishman had owned the diner decided that loosing a few of his daily costumers for just one day was worth it as he wanted to properly welcome the newly arrived traveler who he had stumbled upon messing with the local guards.
The Fishman owned the most popular diner in the town and was known for his good deeds.
He was simply known by the islanders as, Reed.
Or as the kids liked to call him, Big Red Reed.
"So if you don't mind me asking why is a young traveler like you doing wandering this small island?" Reed asked curiously as he quickly diced up a newly caught octopus up with two large butcher knives at lightening fast speed. Ryker could tell the island was very small and not a big importance really. The island had no Marine base, no port city for trading, and from what Ryker could tell not much crops. It was the sad truth but if the island was attacked by pirates the Navy probably wouldn't bother sending help as the island wasn't worth losing men and resources over.
"I just go where the wind takes me," Ryker simply said with a shrug as he knew he couldn't truly let Reed discover as to why he was on the island.
Reed looked up from the meal he was working on his eyes filled with curiosity "So you're an explorer?"
His eyes were really sparkling...
"Um... Yeah," Ryker stated in a baffled tone as he decided that would be the story he'd stick with.
He was a explorer who just got caught out at sea.
"I use to be an explorer myself and oh how I loved it! Being out at sea all day, visiting far away islands, and lest not forget the friendly battles I'd get to partake in!" Reed cried out joyfully as there was this sparkle in his eye he got when he simply brought up the idea of being able to travel out at sea, a gleam in his eye that he got whenever he would start cooking.
"You sound like you really like exploring," Ryker pointed out as he finished off another bowl of dumplings.
"Ah yes I did, but at last there is a time and place for everything and sadly my time as a explorer is over," Reed explained in a sorrowful voice as he took off his apron and whipped off his grease cover hands before joining Ryker at the table.
Ryker looked up from his plate curiously.
Reed sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair.
"Sadly, my days of traveling the sea are beyond reach for now and without being able to travel the sea I don't think I'll ever be able to reach my goal in life." Reed sighed heavily as his eyes seemed to get lost in some sort of a trance as he glared up at the ceiling. His muscles becoming tense upon mentioning the fact that he'd never fulfill his dream. Ryker's eyes fell upon his sword the blade was well kept and the coral hilt was kept clean, but even with bad vision anyone could tell the sword had gone through many battles. It was obvious that Reed was very skilled with the sword and from the look in his eye he was also a very skilled explorer.
Ryker knew something was up.
Why would a healthy and strong Fishman like Reed who had skills with a sword and loved too explorer live on such a small island.
"What happened?" Ryker asked curiously in almost a demanding tone as he truly disliked seeing someone unable to complete their true dreams in life. Ryker knew if someone tried preventing him from collecting Dials then he'd never give up trying to continue following his dreams, but there was something about Reed that was obviously holding him back. Ryker and Reed shared the same gleam in their eyes that they had when talking about their dreams, but there was something different in Reed's gleam. Something holding him back.
Reed grinned weakly at Ryker's curiosity.
"Years ago when I was only a child I was banished from my home by my own father. My family lived with several others of our kind and we created a clan of some sort, as a child I didn't think much of what my father and the other men did to support us. For years I just assumed they were fishermen and that was why they'd constantly leave the island, but years after I would discover the nasty truth. I found out that the men were all slavers who despised the humans and every fishing trip was actually just another slave auction they'd attend to sell humans. I was disgusted and demanded an end to it, but my father who was the clan leader was angered by my so called human loving life style and he banished me. There were many others back at home who shared my beliefs but feared to speak up, so I promised my father I'd return one day as a great warrior and... Kill him." Reed's voice was filled with pain sorrow as he spoke about his past life of banishment his eyes near the verge of tears as his fist became tight upon mentioning the slavery of humans. Ryker found it hard that someone who seemed so heart filled would make such a promise to kill their own father.
"I'm sorry," That was all that Ryker could say.
"It's alright my friend. About six years ago I decided to finally challenge my father and when I arrived at the island we once lived on I found that they were gone. I was informed that they had left years ago after my banishment and began to travel across the world in order to expand their slavery. I finally was able to track down my former clan and I was horrified to discover that there were only a few survivors left." Reed continued his story as the memories still haunted him.
Ryker was surprised by the turnout.
"They entered the Grand Line unprepared and one by one they all started to fall to a deadly sickness. My mother was the first to go and after that my father went insane. I tried to ask the survivors what became of my father but I got mixed answers a few said he was still alive, other said he jumped ship a month after my mother's death, and another said he was killed in a storm... For years I planned on killing him, but now I just wanted to find him not the man who banished me but the man that once called me his son." Reed explained lowly as he stood up from his chair, his eyes filled with tears at the memory of his family, and the idea that his last family member maybe dead after all.
"So you're goal is to find your father?"
Reed's eyes darted down to Ryker, "For years I thought that was my goal but now I have discovered that my true goal is to show the world that Humans and Fishmen can live at peace. So, I became a chef and and traveled the sea trying to bring a good image of my people!"
"That's truly an amazing goal, but shouldn't you be traveling the world instead of living on this island?" Ryker asked as his curiously once again had gotten him interested.
"If I leave this island then everyone will die!" Reed cried out.