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I suppose I should explain myself.
I know I originally promised this would be the next installment of the Camp Assault, but some things have come up.
1.) I got into Dragon Ball, and that has held my attention some. (I saw Resurrection F in theaters!)
2.) I start college pretty soon, so there's that. (I'm majoring in English With a Focus in Creative Writing!) I still haven't found a place to buy books.
3.) The Camp Assault Mini-Arc is almost literally NOTHING BUT FIGHT SCENES. Fight scenes are a pain in the neck to write, so I have been procrastinating due to that.
4.) Due to a plot bunny, I started a DBZ/Atlantis: the Lost Empire fic to write on the side. I've got most of it planned out, so it shouldn't take too long to complete (assuming I don't procrastinate). It's called Vegetasei: the Lost Empire if you're interested.
5.) Plain old writers' block. A problem I need to work through if I'm ever going to be a professional author.
After starting and restarting Camp Assault Part 2 five times, I got frustrated and went to watch Dragon Ball Z for an hour. After which, I decided to just go ahead and write the next review special to get myself back in the Tomorrow's Romance Dawn zone. It was overdue anyway. (I just realized that I'm going back to my roots of promising things then not delivering. EEK!) But after this, I WILL work on the next chapter. As English dub Naruto would say, Believe It!
In other news, freelex30 on deviantart did this really awesome headshot of Vaughan. I put the link on my profile, check it out! (Though the links have been screwy lately. You might have to google it.)
If you lot see any new tropes in this chapter, be sure to add to the TV Tropes page! Also, if you see a grammar mistake, PM me! (Repeat, PM me. Don't tell me in a review!) Enjoy!
SBS 11!
Chapter Question: "Do you intend to make the 3D2Y!Straw Hats realize their existence can be threatened by their younger selves' presence on the island?"
A fair question, and one I'm surprised did not come up sooner. The answer is yes, they will, but in all honesty they have nothing to worry about. The 3D2Y!Straw Hats don't remember being on the island when they were younger, so they basically are acting as their future selves did when they met them as their past selves (if that makes sense; time travel is confusing). Since none of them are dead in the future, nothing happens to their past selves. Also, in all honesty I'm going to have to risk the Past!Straw Hats. Otherwise they'd just be sitting around doing nothing, and that's boring.
300-Something Review Special: Omakes Galore #3! 5 Brand New Stories Relating to Tomorrow's Romance Dawn!
1: Luffy's Adventures on Kāla #2 (of 2)
Time: Roughly around the time of the Runo's cavern ambush, so Day
Location: Unknown- presumably somewhere on Kāla
At the time a certain ambush was in effect, a certain straw hat-wearing pirate captain was napping.
No, not the one who was still recovering from his fight with a red-eyed sniper/swordsman. (He was unconscious. Not napping.)
The one that everyone to this very moment was wondering what in the name of Whitebeard's Epic Mustache was he doing.
Well, he was napping. Pay attention.
You would nap too if you had been off adventuring in the jungle for countless sunrises and sunsets. Future Luffy, for all his energy, had to wind down eventually. He'd followed the path set for him by the trees for hours, coming across weird plants, big animals, and even a lake. The lake had had a Sea King in it. Luffy had no idea how a Sea King could even get in a lake, so he declared it to be a mystery and went on his way. Some time after that he'd eaten a couple of Sanji's box lunches then settled down for his nap. A nap he was now awakening from.
Luffy opened his eyes and sat up, adjusting his hat. Something felt... off, somehow.
That one big 'voice'... he thought. It feels agitated. But why? Did someone knock over one of the trees?
(The answer to that latter question was yes, and it was way more than one tree. Not that he knew that.)
Luffy stood up and dusted off his clothes. He could wonder what was bothering the big voice later. Right now it was best to keep moving, though he was starting to get the sneaking suspicion that the trees weren't leading him back to the Thousand Sunny. He would have just used his Haki to find his friends, but the annoying big voice was still making hearing difficult. So following the tree path was his best option.
Luffy caught sight of the clear path and once again began to walk it. Odds were he would run into one of his crew mates eventually, right? For all he knew, Zoro had gone and gotten himself lost again. Zoro had a knack for finding things when he got lost.
The rubberman continued down the path, picking up a walking stick somewhere along the way. Just because he was lost didn't mean he wouldn't indulge in a man's romance, which required hikes and long walks to have walking sticks. Eventually, he noticed that the trees were growing thinner and the terrain became more elevated and rocky. Going a little farther, Luffy soon found himself in what appeared to a quarry, in the sense that he was surrounded by cliffs and rocks.
In the center of the clearing was one large rock covered in painted images. Luffy walked up to it and stared at the images.
"Sun," he muttered, pointing to it. "Moon... tentacle monster... rolled-up piece of paper... spear... eyeball..." His finger landed on the last picture. "... star."
If anyone had been watching him guess what those images were, they wouldn't be sure as to why he did it. Maybe just to confirm his interpretation aloud?
Luffy wished Robin was with him. She would like these weird pictures. Maybe when he found her he could-
BANG!
Luffy felt something enter his shoulder, stretch out the spot, and shoot something back out. Without even blinking, he turned around in time to see a random man go down. Apparently he hadn't been expecting his bullet to fire back at him and embed itself in his leg.
In the few short moments he had been looking at pictures, Luffy had been surrounded by a medium-sized group of men and women. All were stony-faced and serious, thus making Luffy conclude that they were boring right off the bat. Still, it was odd he hadn't sensed them coming. Then again, the big voice was still muffling everything.
"Figures the new guy would be the first to screw up," one woman snickered.
"Yeah, everyone knows Straw Hat Luffy ate the Gum Gum Fruit. Bullets won't work," a man added.
"Should've used Haki," another said sagely.
Luffy said nothing and continued to observe them.
"Now, now, men. There's no need to be so harsh-baga," a throaty voice broke in. The voice's owner moved to the front of the group. "We've all made rookie mistakes-baga."
The voice's owner was a shirtless fishman wearing baggy trousers, the pantlegs tucked into a pair of combat boots. He had a round build, but was by no means fat- the roundness came from muscle. He had cropped blonde hair, sleek brown-black skin, spiny fins on top of his head and going down his back, a blunt nose, and sharp needle-like teeth peeking out from under his top lip. His most odd feature was a long flap of loose flesh starting from the hollow of his throat and ending just above his navel.
"Unit Leader Percy!" the men and woman cheered lovingly.
Percy grinned at them, showcasing more of his needle-teeth. This made all his subordinates wince, because the smile was incredibly creepy.
Percy
Leader of the Carrion Bounty Hunters' Alpha Unit
(Black Swallower Fishman)
"We'd gotten a report from Ms. Yari saying that the Straw Hats were here on the island-baga," Percy continued. "But I never thought we'd actually run into the captain-baga. Today's our lucky day-baga."
Luffy cocked his head to one side. "... Baka?"
"No, I said 'BAGA'! It's my verbal tic!" Percy snapped, so-called 'verbal tic' missing. He glared at his men. "Why didn't anyone tell me it sounded like the word 'baka'?!"
"You really seemed to like that one, Unit Leader," one man admitted. "We didn't want to rain on your parade."
"Well, now I have to choose a new one. Again. Thanks a lot," the fishman grumbled.
"Ooh! How about 'niku'?!" Luffy suggested, waving his arm back and forth like a third grader.
"I don't want suggestions from you, Straw Hat! You just ruined my last one!" Percy then crossed his arms and closed his eyes, clearly moving into deep thought. After a few seconds, his eyes opened again. "Okay! I'm ready now-kama! You're going to pay for ruining my tic for me, Straw Hat-kama!"
Luffy didn't really care, but if this guy wanted to fight, he wasn't about to turn him down. He was getting bored anyway.
"Do it, boss!" one Alpha member yelled.
"Yeah! If you catch Straw Hat, Boss Carrion will have to make you a lieutenant!" another cheered.
"Carrion?" Luffy echoed. His eyes widened and he pointed accusingly at the group. "You're with those Rotten Meat bounty hunters that attacked the Thousand Sunny! Jerks!"
"You ruined my verbal tic and broke our chain hooks-kama!" Percy shot back. "Do you have any idea how time consuming it is to replace those-kama?! That was a jerk move, so I say we're about even-kama!"
Luffy paused and cocked his head to the side again. "... Okama?"
"DAMMIT, STRAW HAT!"
Enraged, Percy charged at the pirate, fist black and reared back for a punch. Even though he was on dry land, the fishman's speed was nothing to sneeze at. Luffy only had enough time to bring his own fist up and meet the punch, resulting in what had to be the Grand Line's strongest fist bump. Both were lucky they didn't break the other's knuckles
Percy wasted no time. Haki covered his foot and he rammed it into Luffy's side. The rubberman went flying, but he corrected himself midair and landed on his feet.
"Gum Gum Pistol!"
Percy avoided the incoming fist, rolling out of the way and landing in a crouch. He reared back his hand.
"Arabesque Brick Fist!"
Luffy recognized the technique name- Jinbe used it, so it was a Fishman Karate move. More importantly, he remembered what it did. A shockwave rippled through the air in all directions.
"Armament: Hardening!" Luffy called out. Haki coated his arms and he crossed them in front of his face, bracing himself.
The shockwave didn't knock over Alpha Unit, which was impressive. They did, however, look annoyed that their leader used such a widespread technique so carelessly. Luffy sudden use of Haki protected him, so the most done to him was him being knocked on to his back. He jumped to his feet and, keeping his arms Haki-coated, began punching out.
"Armament: Gum Gum Gatling!"
Percy took a few good hits from the attack before moving out of the way by jumping into the air. He landed behind Luffy. The latter didn't hesitate and kicked out his leg.
"Gum Gum Whip!"
Percy jumped again to avoid it and thrust his elbow hard into Luffy's face. Luffy's head and neck stretched back, and as this happened he wrapped his arms around Percy's and coated his forehead with Haki.
"Gum Gum... Bell!"
"Special Attack- Herculean Swallow!"
As Luffy's head came into position, Percy opened his mouth impossibly wide and... the next thing Luffy knew, he was in some king of warm, sticky place, almost like a filmy bag. The walls secreted wet stuff that burned.
"Ha! How do you like that, Straw Hat-boray?!" he heard Percy gloat. "I'm a Black Swallower fishman, meaning my stomach is bigger and can extend-boray! Your corpse will decompose before I finish digesting you!"
If anything, Luffy now knew what that loose skin on Percy's chest was. It was part of his stomach.
I've been eaten?! This hasn't happened since that snake from Skypeia! Luffy thought. He paused. I wonder if there's any gold in here. Nami will want it.
"Unit Leader, we need him alive to get the full bounty," an Alpha member reminded the fishman.
"I know, I know-boray!" Percy snapped back. "At least let me digest him a little-boray! I didn't have lunch-boray!"
Luffy had no intention of being digested. It would be hard to be Pirate King if he were someone's food, after all. Taking as deep a breath as was possible considering he was in a stomach (it burning a little due to the stomach acid in the air), Luffy inflated his body.
"Gum Gum Balloon!"
On the outside, Percy was gloating to his subordinates when all of a sudden, his stomach grew even more bloated. They could actually see the flesh straining. Percy's stomach could hold a lot, but even he had his limits. His eyes bulging, the fishman began to gag. To everyone's disgust, he began to throw up. The bloating went down and out came Luffy, covered in slime.
Luffy stood up, trying to shake the bile off. "EWWWW! I got puked out!"
Percy was still standing, but he was wobbly. Vomit dripped out of his mouth and tears streamed out his eyes.
"Straw... Hat... boray..." he coughed.
Luffy glared at him. "You know, you might have had a better chance of beating me if you hadn't tried to swallow me. Though you got through my Kenbunshoku Haki with the 'eating me' thing, so I guess that was kind of cool."
Percy short him a dirty glare. "You... bastard... boray..."
Luffy cocked his to the side. "... Boring?"
Percy let out a frustrated roar and charged... only to run smack-dab into Luffy's extended fist. That proved to be the final blow, for Percy went tumbling into the painted rock then collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Luffy turned to look at the rest of Alpha Unit. He bowed. "Sorry for ruining his verbal tics."
"DON'T APOLOGIZE!" Alpha Unit all took out their weapons, continuing to shout in unison, "GET HIM!"
It was no contest, really. These other members weren't as strong as Percy and Luffy dispatched them easily. He saw one of the men trying to make a snail call, but a quick Gum Gum Pistol put an end to that. Soon enough, Luffy was surrounded by unconscious bounty hunters.
I can't believe he didn't have gold in his stomach, Luffy thought. Now I have nothing to give Nami so she won't be angry at me for getting lost!
Grwwlll.
Luffy looked down at his stomach. And then there was that.
"Man, all that fighting made me hungry, and I've only got one box lunch left!" Luffy crossed his arms and raised his face towards the heavens. "Hey, island! Lead me back to the Sunny already! I want my dinner!" Pause. "And if you could help me find some gold, that would be good too!"
As if answering him, a wind blew and knocked his hat off his head. He scrambled to catch it, but stopped when he saw that it landed next to the painted rock.
When he had knocked Percy into it, the rock had moved a little. Luffy could now see a kind of space underneath it. He walked up to it and pushed hard, moving the rock farther back until the space was revealed to be a large hole.
"A hole, huh?" he said to himself, putting his hat back on. "I should go down there?"
Another wind blew. Luffy usually didn't like being told where to go, but he trusted his gut and his gut was telling him to go down that hole, just as it did with the tree path. He was about to jump down when he thought of something.
There were probably more of those bounty hunters out there. Robin had said they were good, and his crew may not know the hunters were there...
Luffy shook his head and smiled. "Shishishi! They'll be okay! My crew can handle a bunch a jerk rotten-meat bounty hunters!"
Without a doubt in his mind, Luffy jumped into the hole.
A/N: Like I said, I don't like writing fight scenes (mostly because I'm not good at them), but this was needed. I hoped you liked Percy. For him I went ahead and looked up odd fish. Black Swallowers are a type of deep sea fish and they're freaking creepy! Look up a picture if you have the time!
Anyway, Luffy has jumped into a hole! What could happen next? Stay tuned!
2: Bleh, Bleh
Time: 1523 AOP, one year after the War of the Best
Location: Aboard the Silverback, ship of the Carrion Bounty Hunters
"Is he in yet?"
"Do you not have anything better to do than antagonize him?"
"I'm a man of simple joys, little sister, and this is one of them."
"It is your funeral."
Runo stuck his tongue out childishly at his sister and looked excitedly around the ship's large dining room. It had been exactly two weeks since he and Yari signed on to this bounty-hunting crew. He hadn't wanted to originally, but it was impossible to argue with Yari once she got an idea into her head. Accept banishment without argument? Had to do it. Travel across the entire freaking Grand Line and go to the New World? Had to do it. Kill that guy from Baroque Works?... Okay, that had been his idea, but he'd wanted to send the guy's hand to Mr. 0, not his head. Even he had his standards.
Even so, Runo was now pretty happy with the decision. The ship was nice, he got to fight pirates whenever he wanted, there were so many new specimens for his toys, and best of all...
"He just came in, if you are interested," Yari said, primly sipping a cup of tea.
... he got cheap kicks at the expense of Boss Carrion's first lieutenant.
Runo hadn't liked the man when he first met him. He was way too serious and and condescending (one of the main reasons Runo hadn't wanted to join at first). Additionally, the guy looked like he could have been Dracula's BFF. Yari claimed this wasn't so- having tested him with a mirror, crucifix, and garlic two days ago- but in the long run this didn't matter to him. While Runo found him creepy, he did give him quite an opportunity.
Runo waited until the first lieutenant, Vaughan, walked past his and Yari's table with a tray of breakfast foods. He must have just woken up, given he was still wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and pajama bottoms. (He'd gotten an half an undercut a few days ago- Runo thought it looked stupid.)
Curling his fingers into claws, Runo stuck out his tongue and said, "Bleh, bleh!"
Vaughan stopped walking, shot Runo a glare, then went on his way.
Runo snickered to himself. "Did you see his face?!"
Yari rolled her eyes. "I will never understand why you insist on continuing with this juvenile behavior."
"It's because he clearly likes playing with fire."
The twins looked up to see the mohawked second lieutenant of the crew, Erity.
"What are you rambling about?" Runo asked her.
"You do realize Vaughan is the strongest member of the crew aside from the boss, right?" Erity pointed out. "Vaughan is one of the most even-tempered guys I know, but he told me he's been teased about his appearance for most of his life. If you keep this up, he's going snap."
"I hear he used to be a high-ranking marine," Yari added randomly.
"You two broads just let me worry about the Vampire, okay?" Runo said. He turned to Erity. "Also, if I want advice, I'll ask for it. Got it, hag?"
As soon as that last word left his mouth, an armored fist rammed into his face, knocking him from the table.
"I'M ONLY 28!"
Yari rolled her eyes and went back to her tea. It was about time her brother earned a punch. She was just sorry she hadn't been the one to deliver it.
Runo leaned against the ship's main mast, rubbing the fresh bandage on his nose.
"I still can't believe she broke my nose," he grumbled.
"I still cannot believe you are still going on about it. It was yesterday," Yari said, filing her nails. "You really need to work on your Haki."
He side-glanced her. "You know, you don't have to be here with me as I do this."
She shrugged. "I have decided that if or when Vaughan snaps, I want to be there to see it."
Runo turned away from her with a pout, but perked up almost immediately. Vaughan and Erity were stepping onto the ship's main deck.
"... so this guy really ate a random devil fruit and it turned out to be the Snot Snot Fruit?" Erity was saying, a disgusted expression on her face.
"Yeah, and to add insult to injury, his name was Petty Officer Schnoz," Vaughan went on, smirking.
"Ouch. That's just cruel and unusual."
"I know, I love it."
Runo smiled, waited until Vaughan and Erity were walking past him, then whispered, "Bleh, bleh."
Vaughan frowned and his eyes narrowed. Satisfied, Runo turned on his heel and started to walk away. He didn't get far because Vaughan hooked his fingers into the back of Runo's shirt, yanked him back, and made him look him in the eye.
"What are you-?!" Runo began to protest.
Vaughan smirked at him and stuck out his tongue. "Bleh, bleh."
With one mighty heave, Vaughan tossed Runo across the deck. The hypnotist ended up sailing right over the ship's railing.
"CRAAAAAAAAAP!"
SPLASH!
"Runo!" Yari cried out, running over to the railing. Vaughan and Erity joined her.
Erity glanced down at the water, then looked at Vaughan. "Was that really necessary?"
"I supposed it was a bit uncalled for," Vaughan admitted. "The ocean hasn't done a single thing to deserve Runo getting dunked into it."
Erity had to giggle at that.
Yari glared at them. "Stop joking! Runo is a devil fruit user, he cannot swim! You have to save him!"
"I'm a devil fruit user too, you know," Vaughan reminded her. "I'm just as much of a bag of hammers as you and your brother."
The two devil fruit users looked at each other, then looked at Erity.
Erity looked like she had eaten something sour. "Do I have to?"
"Erity!" Yari scolded.
"Fine, fine!" Erity kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the railing. "But I am not giving him CPR!"
That having been said, Erity dove expertly into the water.
Yari patted Vaughan's shoulder. "Good luck with that."
"What?! Why do I have to lip-lock Runo?!" Vaughan yelled.
"One, you were the buffoon who threw him overboard in the first place. Two, I am his sister."
"So?"
"So, I do not need those kinds of nightmares."
Vaughan scowled and crossed his arms, looking away from the swordswoman.
Yari studied him for a few seconds. "... You know, when Erity told us you would eventually snap, I was expecting a little bit more emotion on your part. But you kept your cool the entire time."
Vaughan smirked. "Runo's annoying, but he's small change compared to some of the people I've had to deal with. It will take someone ten times more irritating than him before I ever lose my composure. And so far, I've only known one person who could do that. The odds of me meeting another one are practically nil."
"May I inquire who that person was?" Yari asked in curiosity.
The red-eyed man's smirk faded and he stepped away from the railing. "It doesn't matter. He died a long time ago."
Yari watched as Vaughan walked up to the mast and sat down, presumably to wait for Erity to return with Runo.
I do not think I will ever get a read on that man, she thought.
A/N: I did mention this happened back during the 4th SBS, did I not? 'Bleh, bleh' is a sound stereotypical vampires are supposed to make. Clearly, Vaughan is not amused. Also if you recognized the ending, it was from an earlier chapter where Yari was in need of saving. Some things are just constant in a group.
3: The Mysterious Scar
Time: 1524 AOP, during the events of Film Z
Location: Bath House, Secon Island
Usopp yawned tiredly as he entered the baths, adjusting his towel. One day on this island and he was already exhausted. Nami hadn't been any help.
"Z burnt up most of our stuff!" the pint-sized navigator said, hands on her hips. "We need to make money if we're going to replace it all! I'm putting you in charge of figuring out how."
Was it possible that Nami's bossiness had increased by being turned into an eight-year-old? Then again, little kids did seem to have that mindset where they want everything and it was the grownups' job to see those wants fulfilled, no matter what the cost.
In any case, he'd hadn't met her demands yet, seeing as he had spent the day trying to find out more information about the Neo Marines. Robin said she would help him figure something out tomorrow. For now, he was going to take a long, relaxing bath without any disruptions, distractions, or-
"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?!" the sniper hollered.
As soon as he had entered the room, he was greeted with the sight of the Monster Trio (and Brook) at various stages of relaxation. Zoro and Sanji were loafing in their own pot-like tubs, while Brook and Luffy were standing in a shallow bath and splashing water on each other.
"Why are you so surprised?" Zoro asked lazily. "The witch told us to lie low, so we figured we might as well do it here."
Usopp's eye twitched. "... Wait, are you saying you guy's have been in here all day?"
"Of course not!" Luffy said. "We stopped for lunch at one point! They have great food here!"
"And good milk!" Brook added. "Just look at how strong these bones have become!"
Usopp flopped over dejectedly. Leave it to these guys to go and have a bath day when everyone else was out doing real work.
"Oh, take it easy, Usopp," Sanji said. "You keep being this stressed, you'll go prematurely gray. Take a load off and take a bath."
Luffy ran over and tossed a bucket of water onto the longnosed man. "Water fight!"
Usopp sputtered and snatched the bucket from Luffy. "This means war!"
In no time at all Usopp, Luffy, and Brook were chasing each other around the room, tossing water into the others' faces and having a good time. Zoro and Sanji stayed out of it, but thoroughly enjoyed watching the proceedings.
After a little while, all the spilled water resulted in the three pirates slipping and landing on each other in a giant heap. Thankfully all their towels stayed in place.
"You guys okay?" Sanji asked.
Luffy stuck his thumb up into the air. "We're good!" The pirate started to get up, pushing Usopp's foot off his face, when he noticed something. "Eh? Oi, Usopp, what's this on your ankle?"
Usopp gave his captain a confused look. Luffy examined his ankle, and was soon joined by Brook.
"It looks like... a bite mark?" Brook observed. "At least it does to my eyes... though I no longer have any! Yohohoho!"
On Usopp's ankle was a faded scar, not very noticeable unless you were looking at it closely. And sure enough, it was made up of small indentations that all together resembled a bite mark.
"Oh, that," Usopp said. "Yeah, I've had that for awhile. It sounds weird, but I have no idea where I got it."
Zoro walked over to the group, finishing tying a towel around his waist. "How can you get a scar and not know where you got it? I know where I've gotten every scar on my body."
Usopp stood up and glanced at the swordsman's scarred eye, wondering for the umpteenth time where he got that one. "That's very good and all, but I seriously don't know. I first noticed it when we were in Alabasta and I was pouring sand out of my shoe. I nearly had a heart attack because I couldn't think of a single plausible situation where I could have gotten it. Then the revolution happened and I kind of just forgot about it."
Luffy stood up. "Maybe you were bitten by a fish! Sometimes when we fish they fight back! I remember this one time when I was just starting out I ran out of food. Then this huge fish jumped right out of the ocean and tried to eat me, and I was really glad when it did. I beat it up and ate it whole!"
"I am so dumbfounded, words fail me," Sanji deadpanned, also joining the group. "You do realize you could have died at any time without a proper supply of food and water, right?"
"Shishishi!"
Brook remained on the ground, still looking over Usopp's ankle. "I don't think it was a fish. Luffy-san. The marks are too flat. Whoever bit Usopp-san's ankle was definitely human."
"Scar's not all that big, either," Zoro added, glancing down at it. "It was either someone with an unusually small mouth or a little kid."
"I've heard of kids being called ankle biters, but this is just ridiculous," Sanji commented. "We sure Luffy didn't just try to eat Usopp in his sleep like he does with Chopper sometimes?"
"Hey!" Luffy protested. "I only do that when you don't let me have thirds at dinner!"
"I don't let you have thirds because we need to conserve our food when at sea, you numskull!" Sanji cursed.
"Stingy!"
Zoro shook his head, interrupting. "It wasn't Luffy. If that were the case the scar would either be a whole lot bigger or Usopp wouldn't have a foot."
Usopp held up his hands. "Look, does it really matter where I got it? It's not all that noticeable and I forgot I even had it until Luffy brought it up. It'd be nice to know, but I gave up trying to figure it out ages ago. Let's just get back to our baths, okay?"
"Excellent idea, Usopp-san!" Brook said. "Race you to the tubs, Luffy-san!"
"You're on!" the rubberman said with a grin.
Now that the great scar debate was over and done with, Usopp moved away from his friends and settled in one of the pots of water. Once he was relaxed, he slowly lifted his foot out of the water and gave his scar one last look.
I know I said I didn't care, but there is one thing I'd like to know, he thought.
Usopp's brow furrowed and he grit his teeth.
Why is it when I look at this scar, I feel so annoyed?!
A/N: One of my reviewers brought up the scar on Usopp's ankle awhile back, so I used that idea for this omake. It will come up again later in the main story, but for now, I hope you enjoyed this!
4: Chronicles of Lone Wolf Vaughan #2 (of 2)
Time: 1522 AOP, a little more than a week before the War of the Best
Location: Grove 12, Sabaody Archipelago
Vaughan was the wielder of the Chi Chi no Mi- the Blood Blood Fruit. He could control blood in its entirety, and even felt it as it flowed through his veins. Thus he knew it was safe to say he could feel it run cold when he read the headline of the newspaper a News Coo had dropped a while ago.
WHITEBEARD COMMANDER FIREFIST ACE CAPTURED! SLATED TO BE EXECUTED IN A WEEK'S TIME!
It was official. The World Government was made up of brain dead ignoramuses with a collective death wish. They had had the gall to publicly announce the execution of an underling of the strongest man in the world. They had basically given Newgate the written equivalent of the bird, daring him to do something about it.
They were declaring war on the Whitebeard Pirates.
Vaughan felt lightheaded. He tossed the newspaper aside, pulled his cloak's hood over his head, and began to walk briskly towards the mangroves, ignoring the other people standing in abject shock at the news. This was really happening, and Vaughan for some reason couldn't accept that.
Attacking Whitebeard... it just wasn't done. Not unless you were some idiot pirate with too much ego and not enough common sense, and Vaughan had come across enough of those over the years to know the type. While he was never overly fond of the World Government and the Marines, he knew they weren't stupid even if they acted that way at times. There had to be a reason they were doing this now of all times. It couldn't have just been because they finally captured Firefist and decided to take the opportunity that had presented itself. That was the most sound theory, but it seemed a little much for just one of Whitebeard's commanders.
Vaughan thought back to the year's previous events. Crocodile's betrayal, the destruction of Enies Lobby... were those the reasons? Everyone knew Commodore Smoker wasn't the one who beat the ex-Warlord. No, that had been the handiwork of a rookie pirate. Vaughan hadn't cared at the time, but in recent weeks he'd done his research and learned that the pirate Monkey D. Luffy had had his bounty shoot way up after the incident and had even been spotted in Alabasta. It was hardly a coincidence and it didn't change the fact a pirate did the government's job for them.
Secondly, the destruction of Enies Lobby. Though Vaughan doubted the World Government had given all the correct details, at the end of the day the WG's symbol of justice was still sitting at the bottom of the ocean (and once again, the Straw Hats were involved- those kids really got around). The Navy's credibility and reputation was at an all time low thanks to these events. Vaughan wouldn't dismiss the possibility that this execution was the Navy's last-ditch attempt to assert their power and authority.
... Or he could be reading too much into it and the reasons could be completely different. Honestly, Vaughan had better things to do than psychoanalyze the government.
Whatever their reasons, things are about to get really crazy, the red-eyed man thought. I'd better lay low for a few days and wait for the situation to blow over. No need for me to get involved.
Now that he thought about it, that invitation for him to rejoin the Navy with a shiny new promotion to Vice Admiral he got last week was suddenly making a whole lot of sense. The Navy was probably reeling in all their strongest guys in order to take on the Whitebeard Pirates.
Please. It would take a lot more than a stupid promotion to get him back into the fold.
In his pondering, Vaughan had failed to notice he had moved into a more desolate part of Grove 12, and that the sun was beginning to set. He finally did notice and stopped, looking up at the sun.
"Yeesh, it's getting late," he muttered to myself. "I'd better head back to Grove 3 and-"
BOOM!
The sound of the explosion was followed by the ground beneath Vaughan's feet shaking.
"What the hell?!" the bounty hunter shouted. He looked in the direction it came from.
This is probably a bad idea, he thought, running towards the source of the boom.
He made it there and he was sure to conceal himself behind one of the trees' massive roots. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he sure as heck wasn't disappointed.
The explosion had come from Bartholomew Kuma (at the sight of him, Vaughan nearly choked on his own saliva), who was firing lasers at a group of weirdos.
No, wait, not weirdos. He recognized them from their wanted posters. These were the Straw Hat Pirates. At the moment, Kuma's head was smoking and there were arms growing out his neck. Vaughan assumed this to be courtesy of Nico Robin's devil fruit abilities.
"Alright!" a boy with a long nose shouted. "The beam went off in his mouth! He self-destructed!"
Vaughan frowned. Self-destructed? They were talking about Kuma as if he were some kind of robot.
Hold on, Vaughan thought. Wasn't Vegapunk working on a project to create special cyborgs for combat right around the time I left? That thing must be a Pacifista!
The Pacifista fell to its knees and out of nowhere a crackling black cloud formed behind it. He could see Cat Burglar Nami swing an odd blue staff and from the cloud burst a large lightning bolt, striking the robot right through the chest. There was an explosion, and the Pacifista was left smoking and sparking. It still did not fall though. It instead stuck out its arms and began to fire more energy beams, prompting the pirates to scatter in order to avoid getting hit. Judging by how it seemed to be doing this randomly, the robot's sensors must have been thrown out of whack from the recent attacks.
Vaughan had to admit, he wanted to see where this was going. Since he wasn't a pirate himself, the Kuma-lookalike wouldn't attack him... he hoped.
From what he could observe, it looked like the Straw Hats were entering their end game. Black Leg's leg was glowing red with heat and Pirate Hunter tied a bandanna around his head and drew his swords. Black Leg ran forward and jumped into the air.
"Diable Jambe... Flambage Shot!"
He thrust his leg into the Pacifista's chest, setting it on fire and launching it towards Pirate Hunter. Then, much to Vaughan's shock, the swordsman appeared to grow two extra heads and a multitude of extra arms and swords.
How is that a thing?! Vaughan thought in aggravation and with a bit of envy.
"Kiki Kyutoryu: Asura!" Pirate Hunter called out.
The Pacifista turned to look the three-headed pirate and prepared to fire another blast from its palm.
Pirate Hunter swung out his blades and cut into the cyborg. "Nine Lightning Flashes!"
The extra limbs and heads faded from the pirate's body, and it was clear damage had been dealt. The robot began to fall backward, blood leaking from its lips. Meanwhile, from above, a boy that could only be Straw Hat Luffy (geez, he even looked like Garp- how did no one else notice this?), inflated his arm to giant proportions while his crew cheered him on from below.
"Third Gear!" the rubberman shouted. He reared back his fist. "Gum Gum...!"
The Pacifista looked up at him, a laser charging to fire from its mouth.
Luffy's inflated limb twisted like a corkscrew.
Do it, Straw Hat! Vaughan yelled in his head.
"... Giant Rifle!"
The fist came down on the Pacifista, causing a shockwave and dust to fly everywhere. The fist was unwinding, actually drilling the robot into the ground. Vaughan had to wince from just looking at it. When Luffy removed his hand, the Pacifista clearly wasn't getting back up.
Vaughan watched as Straw Hat shrunk down to a comical size and the rest of crew took a breather from the difficult battle. He had to admit, these guys had potential. He had come across a lot of pirate crews, and while he didn't like pirates as a general rule, he wanted to see where these guys were headed way more than he had other crews. He could definitely see them as the people who destroyed Enies Lobby. Still, he hoped they weren't seriously planning on going to the New World after this. That would make Enies Lobby look like a trip to Cherry World by comparison. He contemplated just taking them on now and collecting their bounties, but he decided against it. They had just defeated a Pacifista after all- he figured they had earned a free pass.
The universe, however, didn't appear to agree.
Just when the Straw Hats were about get off scott-free, another Pacifista showed up. This one wasn't alone though. It was escorted by a bulky, ax-wielding man Vaughan recognized as the Captain of the Science Force, Sentomaru. He remembered him from the times his marine ship had to visit Dr. Vegapunk in the past.
The pirates demanded to know who he was, and Sentomaru gave away the information like it was candy despite claiming he had no obligation to reply.
Still can't keep a secret to save his life, I see, Vaughan thought with a sweatdrop. Some things never change.
After giving his name, Sentomaru ordered the Pacifista, PX-1, to open fire. The Straw Hats scrambled to escape the burning lasers, and as far as Vaughan could tell, they were going to split up. They probably figured that since they couldn't stay and fight- no, they were much too injured and exhausted to take on another Pacifista- they could escape. PX-1 couldn't chase after all of them. Unfortunately, Vaughan knew what kind of man Sentomaru was. He would hunt them all down, no matter what the cost.
Damn, Vaughan thought. I was actually kind of hoping to see where they would end up. That's life for you, I guess.
Vaughan shifted his full attention to Straw Hat and Sentomaru. They appeared to be going one on one, but Straw Hat was getting his butt handed to him. It wasn't surprising- Sentomaru was crazy skilled with Busoshoku Haki, if Vaughan recalled the duels he had with him in the past. If he knew him, he was probably going to-
Vaughan froze. This... this feeling... no, it couldn't be...
BOOM!
"ARGHHHH!"
Vaughan moved to another tree root and peered cautiously over it. Pirate Hunter was down, and standing over him was...
WHAT THE HELL IS KIZARU DOING HERE?! the bounty hunter thought in panic, breaking into a cold sweat.
In private conversation, Vaughan could speak of the Admirals casually. If in the same room as them, he could act calm and focused, or even mouth off to them. But when alone and not being judged or appraised, he could freely admit that those guys scared the living crap out of him. He'd never liked working with them, or even being on the same ship as them. They were powerful and merciless, unwavering in their ideas of Justice. The only admiral he'd ever felt remotely comfortable with had been Aokiji, and even then he avoided the man when he could. Never mind Akainu and Kizaru- he'd had nightmares about those two.
There were many reasons why Vaughan had left the Navy, and the Admirals were three of them.
"Oooh, you're a bit too late, Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro," Kizaru drawled. "I'd heard you were a reasonably accomplished swordsman... but seeing as you were beaten with one shot, you must be pretty exhausted, huh?"
Vaughan clenched his teeth. This doesn't make sense! Why would Kizaru come here?! They don't call him out unless one of the Yonko is on a rampage or some idiot Celestial Dragon hit their panic button- The hunter's red eyes widened. Shit!
Kizaru lifted his leg above Roronoa, where it began to glow with a blazing yellow light. "Take a rest, why don't you?"
Roronoa was a dead man, that much was certain to Vaughan. He was a dead man and soon the rest of his crew would follow. He knew that, as pirates, the Straw Hats had all of this coming, but for some reason it still left a bitter taste in his mouth. He was against killing personally, but he knew that in the world he lived in there were different types of kills. It was one thing to kill a man face-to-face in combat, but to kill someone who couldn't even defend himself...?
"ZORO!" the Straw Hat crew cried out.
Vaughan watched as the Straw Hats made their futile attempts to rescue their comrade. Physical attacks passed right through Kizaru's logia body. Trying to roll Roronoa out of the way failed because the admiral moved as fast as light thanks to his Glimmer Glimmer powers. That, coupled with their desperate cries, made the whole ordeal painful to watch. Vaughan knew what was coming, but he wouldn't look away.
I won't turn my eyes, he thought, shielding his eyes from the bright light with his forearm. Those kids got this far; they deserve this much, at least.
"I won't let you get away," Kizaru said coldly. "It's useless. You'll die now."
Time moved in slow motion. The Straw Hats all rushed towards the admiral. Kizaru lifted his leg even higher. Vaughan couldn't help but think if there was ever a time for divine intervention, now would be perfect-
SHOOM!
Something blew past Vaughan at an amazing speed. If his Observation Haki weren't so fine tuned, he would have never caught the smirk and gray hair that had filled his vision for all of three seconds.
His jaw dropped. Dark King?!
It was him! Dark King went right up to Kizaru and kicked his leg, sending the attack meant for Roronoa flying into one of the mangroves. The resulting explosion shook Grove 12, but Vaughan barely noticed. He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
He wiped sweat from his brow, muttering, "Cutting it a little close there, huh old man? You just wanted to make an entrance."
The Straw Hats would be fine now. Vaughan adjusted his hood and ran away as fast as he could from Grove 12.
He still didn't like pirates, but he had to admit, there was something about the Straw Hats that just made you want to root for them.
"What in the name of all that is sacred happened here?!" Vaughan shouted.
After getting a safe distance away from Grove 12 and recollecting his wits, Vaughan had made his way to the only place a situation with the Celestial Dragons could possibly occur- the Human Auction House. It was practically night when he'd gotten there, but what he saw blew him away.
It was a mess, to say the least. The building itself was falling apart and there were injured marines and nobles everywhere. Medics ran to and fro trying to offer their aide, but some of the soldiers were literally in pieces- and complaining about it. Vaughan wasn't even going to question that one.
The bounty hunter caught sight of Disco, the auction house's manager, on his knees and sobbing next to the wrecked building. He didn't like the flamboyant man, but he wanted answers.
"Disco!" he shouted, speed-walking to him.
Disco looked up. "B-Blood King! What are you doing here?"
"Call it idle curiosity. So, what happened? It looked like a giant ran over this place in soccer cleats."
"T-There was one giant, but he didn't do this. You see, we were having a splendid auction. We even had a mermaid! You'll be upset you missed it!"
Vaughan crossed his arms. "You do realize I release all the slaves you sell me, right?"
Disco shrugged. "Hey, what you do with them after purchase is your business. I just sell them." He wilted. "Or at least I did..."
Okay, this wasn't getting him anywhere. Disco was too depressed to be of any use. All Vaughan had learned was that there had been an auction and going off all the wanton destruction, it had gone horribly wrong. He was about to find someone else to ask, when he felt a familiar chill.
"Oooh, Vaughan-kun. It's been awhile."
Vaughan slowly turned around, only to come face to face with Admiral Kizaru himself. With him was PX-1... wait, this one had paw pads. When did the real Kuma get here?!
Vaughan swallowed but kept a straight face, removing his hood. "Admiral Kizaru. Kuma. Long time no see."
"Not since you resigned," Kizaru mused. "Tell me, did you enjoy the show back there?"
He knew I was there?! "It was quite an interesting spectacle. I'm almost upset that I didn't catch the end of it. If you don't mind me asking, what happened here exactly?"
"Oooh, you don't know? The Straw Hat Pirates attacked this establishment and took a family of World Nobles hostage. Then a bunch of other troublesome Supernovas got involved and it escalated from there."
Vaughan raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That doesn't really sound like the Straw Hats' M.O... the hostage part anyway."
Kizaru shrugged. "They are pirates after all. They can be unpredictable if need be... just look at Kuma here. I wasn't expecting him to send those Straw Hats all flying."
It took a few seconds for his statement to register with Vaughan. "Kuma did what?!"
"Sent them flying. They're probably all dead," Kizaru sighed.
Kuma remained silent.
Way to go, Dark King. You really dropped the ball there, Vaughan thought with a scowl.
"Is something wrong, Vaughan-kun?" Kizaru asked.
"It's nothing. It's late and I'm tired," Vaughan lied. He turned to leave. "It was nice seeing you again, but I'll take my leave."
"Wait a moment."
Vaughan bit back a curse and turned back to the taller man. "Yes?"
Kizaru smiled in a way that was in no way reassuring. "If I recall, HQ sent you an invite to return to the Marines. Have you given that any thought?"
Vaughan smirked. "Kizaru, when I left the Navy I spit on your titles and your so-called Absolute Justice. The only reason they want me back so badly is because they're challenging Whitebeard and they don't want to fail miserably."
"Can you blame them? Your Blood Blood abilities are extreeeemely useful." He raised an eyebrow. "You don't approve of the Navy's plans?"
"I think it's a terrible, suicidal idea, but what do I know? I'm just a lowly bounty hunter," Vaughan answered dully. "I don't get involved with the Navy's business."
"Fair Point, Vaughan-kun. Fair point." Kizaru strolled past the younger man, followed by Kuma. "Your loss, I suppose. See you around."
Vaughan watched Kizaru walk off, and it wasn't until he and Kuma were out of sight that he allowed himself to fall to his knees, shaking from pure terror.
Damn him, Vaughan thought, seething. Damn him straight to hell.
It took almost ten minutes for the shaking to stop, but when it did, Vaughan stood up and put his hood back on. He couldn't bear to spend one more moment in this place. He made a beeline for home, but his thoughts were on everything that had happened that day.
The announcement of the execution. The upcoming war. The Straw Hats' disappearance.
"Bhanu used to say he could feel when change was blowing in," Vaughan muttered to himself. "I think I get what he meant now."
Even when he would look back on this day years later, he would never comprehend just how right he was.
A/N: A reviewer once noticed that I 'play' with Vaughan more than I do my other OCs, and there's a reason. Out of my OCs, he's my favorite. He's just so much fun!
5: Siobhan's Long Day
Time: Morning at Day
Location: Kāla
Siobhan awoke to something pecking at her head.
It wasn't horrible, but it was rather unpleasant. She wished it would stop, but that would require her opening her eyes and dealing with it herself.
She lasted about thirty seconds before she gave in.
The offender was some tropical bird that had somehow found its way into her house. She groaned and swatted it away. The bird flapped angrily and flew out her window.
"Yeah, you better run," she grumbled. "How'd you like it if you were sleeping and someone pecked at your forehead?!"
Birds always went for her forehead when her bangs weren't covering it. It was annoying, but it was an easy target.
Yawning, Siobhan got off her cot and walked to her indoor fire pit. After lighting a fire, she set a teapot full of water on it and then grabbed a mango out of a bowl on a table. She bit into it as she stepped out onto the her veranda. On her way out, she picked up a knife and carved another tally mark into her wall.
Day 1205, she thought in monotony.
It was a beautiful morning. It was mornings like these that made her glad she went through the trouble of building a tree house, even if it did take her a year to complete it. It kept the rain off her head, she slept in it, it was a great place to keep her stuff, and she had the best view on the island.
Siobhan took another bite of mango. "Hmmm... I start the morning with a bird pecking my head. The village elders would have called that an omen. But is it a good or bad one...?"
Meh, she never really believed in omens. She was the master of her own destiny! She ate the last of the mango and chucked the pit over the side of the railing.
"Yosh!" she declared, putting her hands on her hips. "It's a new day and I have loads to do! Let's get started!"
1. Take a bath
Siobhan shivered as the small, cold waterfall poured over head. It must have been winter in another part of the island, or the water would have been warmer.
"T-There has g-got to be a b-better way to w-wash my h-hair," she chattered.
Once she was sure her hair was clean, she darted from the waterfall and dove under the water of the large pond the waterfall fed into. She made faces at any fish she saw, giggling to herself. Those fish could be really surprising if you didn't know they were there...
"AIEEEEEEEEE!" Spaz shrieked, jumping out from under the waterfall. "Something just swam between my feet!"
Straw Hat rolled his eyes and slid farther into the water. "Relax, it was probably just a fish."
"Nobody asked you, you flashy moron!" Spaz snapped. "That was way too big to be just a fish!"
"Actually, Straw Hat's right. It probably was a fish!" Siobhan called down from the tree branch she sat in.
The two boys stiffened, and slowly looked up at her. They hadn't noticed her before now.
"SIOBHAN!" they hollered, hands going to cover their private parts.
Siobhan laughed and jumped down, wading into the water herself. "No need to be shy! I have seven brothers- you literally have nothing that I haven't already seen!"
"That tears it- I'm getting out!" Spaz yelled and started to leave the pond.
"Be careful, Spaz! The part of the pond you're standing in may go up to just your ankles, but some parts can be-" Siobhan called after him.
Spaz yelped and disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
"- deeper," Siobhan finished, slapping her forehead.
"Crap! I'll save you, buddy!" Straw Hat took off his hat and put it on Siobhan's head. "Here, watch my hat!"
Siobhan laughed uncontrollably, tugging on the hat as Straw Hat dove beneath the water to save Spaz.
Siobhan broke the surface, then moved out of the pond and to the log where she kept her clothes.
"I'm clean enough," she said to herself.
2. Weed my garden
"One, two, three!"
Siobhan tugged as hard as she could, and at long last the stubborn weed came loose. Unfortunately, this caused her to tip backward, fall on her back, and land in her weed pile. Weeds flew everywhere.
Siobhan spit one out of her mouth. "Ugh... this was easier when I had help..."
"Like this, Siobhan?" Captain-sama said, tugging up a weed.
Siobhan walked by him carrying a basket of vegetables. "That's right, very good. You know, I can do this myself. You're my guest, you shouldn't be working."
"Hey, you're cooking for us tonight. The least I can do is give you a hand."
Siobhan smiled at him and looked at his weed pile. She frowned. "Captain-sama, why is all my lettuce in the weed pile?"
Captain-sama looked at her, then looked away, whistling innocently.
Siobhan looked at her lettuce, growing neatly in a row. She heaved a sigh.
"I don't really like lettuce either," she mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck.
3. Meditation
Siobhan did this for an hour. As usual, it cleared her mind and was boring as hell.
4. Go fishing [AMENDMENT: Fishing canceled due to sudden nightfall]
Siobhan grumpily tossed her fishing rod to the floor of her tree house and tossed herself onto her cot.
"This is the third time this week!" she complained, flailing her limbs. "I want fish, dammit! Stupid sky, decide on night or day already!"
"The moon's out, and it's only noon," Specs said, looking up at the sky. "I've heard of islands where it's day 24/7 or night 24/7, but never night and day irregularly."
"You get used it," Siobhan told him. "It's a pain though when it's sunny at night and I'm trying to sleep. And one time it was night for a whole week. I couldn't get anything done!"
"How can you tell how many days have passed?" he asked curiously.
"Easy. A clock washed up here awhile ago, so I just use that," she replied.
Specs side-glanced her. "Isn't that cheating? I thought you were a Shaman."
"This coming from the pirate?"
Specs laughed.
Siobhan lay still in her cot. She placed her forearm over her eyes.
"I think I'll take a nap."
5. Take a nap
She napped for roughly two hours. When she awoke, the sun was back out. She no longer felt like fishing.
6. Sort through the stuff I have that washed ashore
Siobhan picked up a diamond necklace she found in her "unsorted" pile.
"What do I need a diamond necklace for?" she thought aloud. "I suppose I could use it to bribe someone later down the line."
She tossed the necklace into the 'accessories' pile and continued to sort through her items. She had been letting it pile up for weeks now.
An alarm clock? She had five of those, so trash.
Part of a cannon? Trash.
A big white coat with broomy things on the shoulders? Keep, if she could paint over that stupid seagull on the back. She could dye it to look like Captain-sama's.
Various nails and wood? Keep. She could use those to repair her tree house.
A top hat with goggles? Keep. She thought it looked funny.
Siobhan came to a big black cloth. She pulled it free from the pile and saw it wasn't a cloth, but a pirate flag.
But not just any pirate flag...
"Really?! I can keep this?!" Siobhan gasped, holding the flag up.
"Sure!" Captain-sama said, ruffling her hair. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't give you something to remember me by!"
Siobhan's lip trembled, and she threw her arms around Captain-sama's waist. He was taken aback for a few seconds, but after that he eagerly returned the hug.
"You will remember me, won't you, Siobhan?" he asked her softly.
She nodded furiously against his stomach.
"Good. Then you get to help keep me alive."
Siobhan put down her hammer, finishing nailing the flag to the wall of her tree house.
"I can't believe I forgot about this," she said, running her fingers over the jolly roger. "And here I promised him I wouldn't forget."
7. Since I didn't fish, go to the beach and dig for clams
Siobhan dug almost violently in the sand. She was pissed beyond all reason.
"Stupid bird, stupid omen, stupid memories," she ground out through grit teeth. She threw her arms up into the air. "Today sucks!"
She couldn't do a single thing without her subconscious dredging up memories of happier times with Captain-sama and his crew. Even digging for clams brought forth things she'd rather not think about.
"Wow, look at all these! There are so many!" Siobhan said cheerfully, gazing at the mountain of clams she had dug up.
"Let's bring them to tonight's feast!" Saatatya suggested.
No.
"Race you to your village!" he challenged, running past her.
She grinned. "You're on!"
No, no, no.
"Wow, Siobhan... you really want me to have this?" Saatatya asked, gazing at her gift in wonder. "No take backs?"
Siobhan smiled sadly. "No take backs. I won't need it where I'm going."
N. O.
"I PROMISE, SIOBHAN!" Saatatya screamed as she sailed away. "I PROMISE, I'LL SAVE YOU ONE DAY! NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES!"
"NO!" Siobhan shrieked, yanking her hair in frustration. "I refuse to think of Saatatya and Calypso on top of everything else today! I just wanted today to be a good day! I don't need this! I'm not lonely! I refuse to be lonely!"
Siobhan's cheeks felt wet, and that was when she realized she was crying. Wiping away her tears, she went back to digging, almost robotically.
She did this for two hours. She didn't find a single clam.
She was about to get up and leave when she abruptly looked up from where she was digging on the beach. A cold shiver ran down her spine, and she looked out towards the Fog, which always hung around the furthest border of the island's waters. She could hear multiple voices within its expanses.
"Visitors are coming," Siobhan whispered.
So, Kāla had revealed itself yet again, and just a week (possibly; even with a clock time was hard to gauge on Kāla) after Captain-sama had taken his leave. This was the quickest it had ever happened. She usually went months between visitors.
This time was different, however. She could feel it in her bones. This was only beginning of a much larger event.
Siobhan stood up, dusted off her clothes, and grinned.
"Yosh. Let's get started!"
Next Time:
Chapter 20: Camp Assault Part 2- Game, Start!
Runo's annoying, but he's small change compared to some of the people I've had to deal with. It will take someone ten times more irritating than him before I ever lose my composure.
And his name is Monkey D. Luffy!
Usopp yawned tiredly as he entered the baths, adjusting his towel. One day on this island and he was already exhausted. Nami hadn't been any help.
The movie said Luffy, Zoro, Brook, and Sanji had been in the baths for several days. I figure Usopp had to have gone in at some point.
Luffy stood up. "Maybe you were bitten by a fish! Sometimes when we fish they fight back! I remember this one time when I was just starting out I ran out of food. Then this huge fish jumped right out of the ocean and tried to eat me, and I was really glad when it did. I beat it up and ate it whole!"
"I am so dumbfounded, words fail me," Sanji deadpanned.
Recognize this? It's from the English version of the "Report Time" short!
WHITEBEARD COMMANDER FIREFIST ACE CAPTURED! SLATED TO BE EXECUTED IN A WEEK'S TIME!
Is this the right headline? If I got it wrong, tell me!