Hello again, everyone! Here's another chapter of "Tales of a Sinner"!
I'll be working on another chapter of "A Different Take" after I post this chapter! (August 10th, 2013)
Hope you enjoy!
I do not own One Piece as that belongs to Toei and Eiichiro Oda.
"No."
"But I-"
"No."
"I haven't even-"
"Please refrain from speaking to me. Ever again." The black haired lady told him coldly as she walked away.
Luffy looked dejected as he stood there in his purple vest.
Coby walked up to him, feeling unsure about what he should do.
"You know, I think I'm beginning to figure out what kind of person you are..."
"Coby, jump in the air and act like a monkey."
"Wha-?"
Coby stared jumping up and down, scratching his head and chin like a monkey.
"What's going on?! What are you doing?!"
Luffy ignored the little boy's cries as he rubbed his chin.
"It worked on the little runt, but why not her?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Meh, whatever. Stop doing that and let's go." Luffy walked past Coby as he stopped his dancing.
"Hey, what gives?! Why did you make me do that?!"
"Oh, just a test..." Luffy walked out of Rain Dinners, unsatisfied with how his luck had played out.
"You said earlier that you were a "sinner"...what does that even mean?" Coby followed him out. He didn't have anywhere else to go, so he might as well follow Luffy.
"It means exactly that. I'm a "sinner". I feed on sin." He glanced around, trying to figure out his next steps.
Coby looked around with him, noticing many shady looking people and loose women.
"Well, there's plenty of that to go around. Why not just go to one of them?"
"Because, I have to create the sin, or else it tastes disgusting." Luffy stuck his tongue out in disgust.
"Besides, I'm sure I would catch something from them." He pointed absentmindedly to the women.
"You know, I heard that this was the City of Dreams..." Coby saw the decadent people on the streets, the poor condition of the buildings. The only place that looked in good condition was Rain Dinners, and it was only filled with wealthy people.
He swore he could see dozens of starving people in alleyways.
"Yeah? Well, most dreams are made to be broken." Luffy walked away, "So, is there any other nearby place we could go to?"
Coby looked unsure.
"There's Yuba, but it's been mostly abandoned...there's also Erumala, but that's much further South..."
"Great." Luffy threw his hands up, "We're trapped in this crappy place. Wonderful."
"W-Well, let's see if we can get a place to sleep for the night." Coby stuttered as he looked around for any hotels.
Luffy sighed, but didn't do much else. He followed Coby, not liking Rainbase as much as he thought he would.
They stayed for one night in a shabby hotel, and started their travels early in the morning.
As they walked, Coby thought it would be a good time to find out more about his friend.
"So, Luffy?" The sinner turned his head to look at the boy, "Where are you from?"
"I am from a land, far, far away..." He stretched his hands far apart, to show the distance.
"...and now I am here." He turned back towards their destination and continued walking.
'That was sure enlightening...' Coby thought to himself.
"Well, how about your devil fruit? What does it allow you to do?"
Luffy raised his eyebrows, but didn't look at the boy this time.
"Many, many things."
"Such as...?"
"Well, for one, if I do this..."
"Lust." He said quickly, not liking the name of the ability.
Luffy's vest and eyes turned purple.
"Jump." He commanded Coby, who obeyed.
"What the-?!"
"See? That's one of the abilities." Luffy's eyes and clothes returned to their normal color.
"...That's not very helpful, Luffy." Coby reluctantly followed the man.
"Well, there's also this!" He grinned widely at the boy.
"Wrath." He growled out as his vest and eyes turned a blood red.
Coby sweat profusely as he walked alongside the man he now considered a monster.
And it wasn't from the heat.
They had finally arrived in Yuba, and like Coby said, it looked abandoned.
All except for one old man who was digging in the ground.
"Hey, Old Guy!" Luffy shouted as Coby tried to shush him, "Do you have any water?! I'm thirsty!"
"And hungry, and tired, and horny..." He whined to himself quietly.
"O-Oh?! Visitors?! Welcome, welcome, to the City of Yuba! My name is Toto, and I'll be happy to serve you!" The old man had a wide smile as he greeted the two travelers.
Luffy noted that he was almost skin and bones. His skin was burnt and he looked like he almost wasted away in the sun.
Luffy felt unsettled. Unlike many others, this man had no scent of sin on him. Not even a little.
This wasn't right. The sinners were supposed to suffer, not some kind old man.
Even Coby had the scent of envy on him. The woman from earlier, he had expected pride, but found wrath instead.
'What is with this place? It feels like something's going on that I don't know about.'
Toto had given them a place to stay out of the sun. He set before them so provisions, saying that he would treat them to one meal, but they would have to pay for shelter if they wished to stay.
Luffy thought it was sad. It looked like the old man had given them all of his food.
He ate anyway. There was no point in offending the old man.
Luffy paid for a room for the two to share. He got a room with two beds, of course. Luffy might have been desperate, but he didn't swing that way.
While the two rested, their room suddenly shook and sand flew in through the window.
"What the hell?! What's going on?!" Luffy shouted as he closed the shutters.
The entire building felt like it was going to collapse! Everything started shaking and when Luffy had looked outside, he could see nothing but sand.
Literally, he saw sand. Some of it flew into his eyes.
"Goddamn it...!" He rubbed fruitlessly at his damaged eyes.
"Luffy! I think that this is a sandstorm!" Coby shouted from under the bed.
"Alright! That's it! I've had it with this crappy sand thing!" Luffy glared at the window.
"Pride!" He shouted angrily.
Coby had closed his eyes as it felt like the roof would fall on their heads! This was too much!
"Pride!" Luffy didn't sound too happy either.
But, suddenly...the storm stopped.
Coby opened one of his eyes.
Luffy was gone. The door was open, but Coby could see that the storm ended.
He went outside and saw the sinner kneeling next to a large sand dune.
Coby decided to look for Toto, to see if the elderly man was okay.
Luffy had picked up a little of the sand that was in the sandstorm.
It was tainted with sin. This wasn't a force of nature...
Somebody had made that sandstorm.
He heard some noises from afar.
"...Mr. Toto, sir? Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, my dear boy! Don't worry about me! I'm stronger than I look, you know?"
Luffy smiled a little. At least the old man was alright.
"What was that? Was that a sandstorm?" Coby was heard asking the old man.
"Yes, though this one ended earlier than the ones that usually hit Yuba."
'So, sandstorms hit this place often?' It just confirmed Luffy's suspicion.
Somebody had made that sandstorm. Whoever it was, they were going to have to answer to Luffy now.
Why would they attack a decrepit city with a population of one?
"Thanks kindly, young man." Toto was still speaking with Coby, "Thanks to you and your friend! It's been lonely ever since my own son left to lead the revolution."
'Revolution?' Luffy really didn't know what was going on now.
Maybe Coby would let him know.
He turned back to the sand. One thing at a time.
"Gluttony." He muttered and his clothes turned brownish-orange.
A light blue shape took form around Luffy. It only surrounded his head and it was shaped like a ball.
A slit formed in the middle, and it opened to reveal translucent teeth.
The shape ate the sand in his hand and burped before it disappeared.
He now had the scent of the sand with him. He would track it down and find whoever was responsible for this.
Meh, imagine what most of his abilities look like. Make sure you use a cool image!
Let me know what you think!