Ch. 3- Malcolm's Game

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard and Malcolm © Me

The Straw Hats stared at the little boy, introduced as Malcolm, who had come to greet them. What was a child doing in a creepy-looking house like this? It made no sense, at all.

"Hi!" Luffy greeted as he reached down to shake the boy's hand. "I'm Luffy, and these are my friends, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Blizzard, and Brook!"

"Nice to meet you!" said Malcolm. "Nice Halloween costumes!"

"Thanks!" Luffy said.

"Would you like to come in?" Malcolm asked.

"Sure!" Luffy said. "C'mon, guys!"

"Luffy, wait," Nami said. "I've got a bad feeling about him. He looks sweet…but…"

"He's just a kid, Nami," Luffy said. "What could he do?"

Nami didn't seem very convinced, and she didn't know it at the time, but Blizzard felt the same way.

That kid, he thought. I don't like the scent that's coming off of him. Something's way off here.

The Straw Hats entered the mansion, following Malcolm behind.

"You got any candy in here?" Luffy asked.

"There should be some in the kitchen," said Malcolm. "I don't get many guests, though."

"Pardon me, Malcolm," said Robin, "but…where are your parents?"

"Oh, they're gone," Malcolm said. "They left on a little trip."

"And they left you here, alone?" Usopp asked. "That can't be safe."

"It's okay," Malcolm said. "My Papa left me in charge! I'm my own man!"

"I see," Sanji said.

"I had a brother," Malcolm said, "but he went with my parents, too, so it's just me."

"So you live here all by yourself?" asked Nami. "Don't you get lonely?"

"Sometimes," said Malcolm. "I don't get many visitors, but when someone does come to visit, I get to have a lot of fun with them, especially on Halloween night!"

"Really, now?" Brook asked.

Zoro and Sanji were already in the kitchen, looking through the cabinets and the fridge.

"Hey, kid!" Sanji called. "There's no food in here!"

"And no wine or sake, either!" Zoro called.

"Oh, I ran out!" Malcolm called. "But I was about to go out and buy some more food, anyway!"

Chopper looked up to Blizzard, sweat beginning to form on his brow.

"Blizzard," Chopper said. "I don't know about you, but I feel something weird about that kid. He looks nice, and all, but…there's also something wrong about him."

Grr~! Blizzard growled.

"So you noticed it, too, huh?" asked Chopper. "Should we tell the others?"

Blizzard nodded.

Nami, meanwhile, was also having more than her share of uneasiness. She held Luffy's hand, tight, refusing to let go.

"Nami, will you calm down?" Luffy asked. "There's nothing to be scared of."

"Maybe not for you," Nami began, "but this place just gives me the creeps!"

"Hey!" Malcolm said. "You guys wanna play a game?"

"Sure!" Luffy answered. "I love games!"

"Great!" Malcolm said. "I'm crazy about games, you know! How about a game of hide-and-seek! I'll hide, and you'll count to 30 and try to find me!"

"Okay," Luffy said before he turned away and started counting with his eyes closed. He would use his Observation Haki to find out where Malcolm was going to hide, but then again, he decided to be fair. "1…2…3…4…"

As Luffy and Malcolm started to play their game, Nami decided to go find the others and tell them about her uneasiness.

She found them in the foyer of the mansion, all gathered around and chatting.

"Guys," Nami called as she approached them. "Listen. I don't know about any of you, but Malcolm…he's starting to creep me out, a little."

"We know," Usopp said. "Blizzard and Chopper told us everything."

"They said they felt a rather ominous aura coming from the boy," said Brook.

Nami turned to Blizzard and Chopper.

"So you guys felt it, too, huh?" the navigator asked.

"Uh-huh," Chopper answered.

"Blizzard, why don't you get Luffy?" Nami asked. "I think it's time we left this place."

Blizzard nodded before he went to find Luffy so that they could leave.

There was a long pause, and it made Nami even more uneasy than ever.

"What is taking that dog so long?" Nami questioned.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!"

YIIIIIIIPE~! A pained yowl followed.

The rest of the Straw Hats turned. The scream belong to Luffy!

"Luffy!" Nami cried as she ran to her captain's aid. "Blizzard!"

Everyone else soon followed, heading for the kitchen, where Luffy was last seen. Once they got there, they found their captain and their guard dog, down on the floor, shaking.

"Luffy?" Nami called as she approached her captain.

"Blizzard, are you okay?" Chopper asked as he slowly walked up to the wolf-dog. "Are you sick?"

"Guys, wait," Zoro said. "I don't think that's a good idea!"

Nami didn't appear to listen to the swordsman. She gently knelt down and slowly put a hand on Luffy's shoulder.

"Luffy?" Nami called. "Are you-"

Suddenly, Luffy whipped around to face her, but the moment he did, Nami let out a short shriek.

Luffy's eyes were glowing a demonic red, and he let out a hissing sound, baring his seemingly fake fangs.

"L-Luffy?" Nami stammered as she started to back away.

"Hey, Luffy!" Sanji said. "What kind of joke is this? Are you trying to scare Nami or something?"

Luffy didn't answer him. He just gave the cook a toothy grin, but this one seemed different than the one he usually wore. This one seemed more…evil.

"Uh, Sanji," Usopp said. "I don't think this is Luffy, anymore."

"I have a feeling you might be right, Usopp," Zoro said.

"AHH!"

Everyone turned when they saw Chopper starting to back away from Blizzard, who was acting in the same demeanor as Luffy.

Robin looked over to a nearby mirror and saw, to her horror, that neither Luffy nor Blizzard…had their reflections.

"Oh, no," Robin said. "Luffy and Blizzard…they…they've turned into real vampires!"

Luffy and Blizzard let out a hiss.

"Give me your blood…" Luffy said in a low, demonic voice.

His gaze was mostly on Nami, who gasped and covered her neck.

"You know…I'm sick of playing hide-and-seek."

The Straw Hats looked around to try and search for the owner of the voice, but they didn't look for long.

"Up here."

The crew of pirates looked up and saw, to their shock, that Malcolm…was floating in the air!

"Malcolm?" Nami exclaimed, questioningly. "W-what are you doing up there?"

"What did you to our captain, you brat?" Zoro shouted.

"And Blizzard, too?" Chopper added, hiding behind Usopp.

"I decided that I wanted to play a game of tag, instead," said Malcolm. His voice sounded deadpan, despite the rather malevolent smirk on his face. "Your friends are 'it'."

"Uh, hey guys," Usopp said as he started to back away. "I think that Malcolm…is the GHOST!"

"You guys better get to the door and get outta here," Malcolm said, "before your friends catch you."

Luffy and Blizzard hissed again, prepared to feast on the blood of their crewmates.

"Luffy, no…!" Nami whispered.

"RUN!" Zoro cried.

With that, the Straw Hats turned and ran, and Luffy and Blizzard soon gave chase after them.

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