"Luffy!"
Luffy grinned up as Ussop scrambled down form the crow's-nest half falling.
"What's up Ussop?" He grinned gnawing on the meat in hand.
"There's someone coming!" Ussop said waving hands frantically.
"Another ship!" Luffy cheered leaping to the side of the boat to peer out into the water.
"Another ship?" Nami asked in surprise looking up from where she had been sun bathing. "Out here?"
"Yeah, and it's coming from behind us and gaining on us!" Ussop panicked.
"Gaining on us?" Nami said, disbelieving as she stood. "We're going as fast as possible with these winds though!"
"Who ever they are they're coming straight of us." Zoro said. "And they'll be here in a few minutes. I can't see much though. Only the color of the ship. I can't even tell the size."
"What should we do captain?" Chopper squeaked.
"Say Hi of course!" Luffy grinned. "And if it's marines we'll kick their asses!"
Sanji and Robin were called onto deck as they all waited for the ship to come closer.
"Wait a minute." Nami choked as she stared at the incoming boat. "That's not a ship."
Everyone stared as the small two person boat floated closer to the Merry-Go-Round. There was a small sail with a flag attached. Inside the boat was a large chest. The man inside sat with his back against it, hands folded behind his head as he sang to himself cheerfully. The flag was all black, a sign of a pirate, with a skill in a red colored gust of wind.
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack. Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack. Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho." The man hummed cheerfully, bouncing his crossed-leg.
"Hi!" Luffy chirped. "Are you a pirate? Are you strong?"
"Well hello to yourself." The man laughed sitting up. "Yes I'm a pirate. And I guess I'm strong."
"What are you doing out here all alone?" Nami questioned suspiciously. "Did you break the code?"
The man snorted.
"Nah, some bastards high-jacked my ship while I was busy fighting on the last island. Heading to take it back."
"What about your crew?" Zoro asked.
"God rest there souls." The man replied swiping his hat off in respect.
"They were killed?" Luffy yelped.
"Yeah, dumb bastards thought they could mutiny against me. Taught them a lesson I did. Not before some of the crooks snuck off with my ship though."
"Wow." Sanji snorted. "That's a shitty way to loose a ship."
"Yeah." The man grinned, agreeing.
"So you're the captain!" Luffy grinned. "I'm the captain of this crew! We're the Straw-hat pirates! Want a lift to the next island?"
"Don't just offer strangers a lift!" Nami shouted at him.
Luffy just laughed.
"I'd love a ride." The man grinned. "Was getting bored by myself."
Ten minutes later the little boat had been tied to the Merry-Go-Round and the man's chest was brought up deck, the man pulling him self up using a rope. As he landed on deck the whole crew looked him over. He was dressed in tight black pants tucked into mid-calf high roan red boots. A set of two black belts held his pants up held a long cutlass and pistol. Looking more up they found him wearing a white button up shirt with long sleeves, done up crisply to the top button, ruffles at the collar. Over that he wore a beautifully made roan red coat that fell mid thigh and was tailored to fit him perfectly. It had black cuffs and shinny silver buttons. Sitting on his head was a black tri-pointed pirate hat, a white feather sticking out the brim.
He wasn't tall as men went, looking about five eight or so. He was slender and delicate looking. Beneath his coat and such he almost looked frail. His face was soft and kind looking, with a delicate nose and soft jaw. His skin was pale like he never let the sun touch it. His hair was a wild mess of black peeking out from under his hat. What caught your attention though was the lightening bolt shape scar above his right eye that reached down to touch his eye lid. This pointed directly at his green eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes any on the crew had ever seen and would easily admit. They sparked like fire and shone like the greatest of jewels.
"Thanks for the lift." The man smiled brightly. "My name is Hari."
"Fish hook!" Ussop laughed.
Luffy chose that moment to make a fish like face and the two collapsed in laughter. The man laughed instead of becoming offended though.
"I guess. Never really thought about it. It used to be spelled differently."
"Why did you change it?" Nami raised a brow.
Hari shrugged. They didn't get a chance to question him as Luffy tripped over his chest.
"Is this your treasure?" the youth grinned looking over the beautifully crafted red and gold chest.
"Yup." Hari nodded. "I had more treasure on my boat of course but this was the one I got from the last island."
"Now would be the time to inform you we expect 5 000 000 beli for the ride." Nami said cheerfully.
The man laughed again instead of getting annoyed. Zoro muttered something about a devil woman and Nami just smiled sweetly.
"I guess we'd best set you up on the spare hammock too." Nami said also, more hesitantly.
"I can sleep in my boat." Hari shrugged.
Nami just smiled but relaxed a bit more. A complete stranger sleeping near them would have made no one but Luffy sleep easy.
"Thanks for the lift again." Hari said sweeping his hat off and smiling at them all. "I was out of water and food too so I guess you guys are a stroke of luck."
They all stared at him.
"And what if you hadn't found us?" Sanji raised a brow.
"Well I guess I would have went hungry and thirsty until early tomorrow when I would have arrived at Panic Port."
"Panic Port?" Nami asked curiously.
"The nickname given to the port at the next island." Hari said.
"You've been there before?" She asked again.
"Yeah, place is like a main base, second best after my ship." Hari smiled.
"What can you tell us about the place?" Luffy butted in. "Is there a town?"
"Yes. There's a town." Hari nodded leaning against the railing. "It's a pirate town. Anyone that isn't a pirate or carries the special entrance flag gets shot down before even entering the harbour."
"Really?" Nami asked in surprise.
"Yeah. That place is run by pirates for pirates. The only people that get in are pirates, the few civilians that work there, and the merchants that stop by. Oh and bounty hunters. No marines or any sort of marine friends allowed. Marines are shot down on sight with no mercy. Most avoid the place. The higher ups ignore the place because it's well protected. The island itself is crescent shaped and made sheer cliff faces to high to scale. The only entrance is the north end where you enter between two tall cliffs, each manned with look outs and cannons."
"Cool!" Luffy cheered. "Do they have lots of people?"
"Yeah. The population is actually quite large. Retired pirates usually stay there and anyone trying to catch a breather from marines or such hang out. Many have main bases on the island too. Though you never leave anything of any value in such bases."
"And you know your ship will be there?" Robin asked, finally speaking up, voice nothing but bland curiosity.
"Yes. The bastards that mutinied against me I recruited from there. Most were there looking for a ship to join. Bastards probably went back to gloat at how they defeated me and get stocked up on supplies."
"Hmm." Zoro said eyeing him.
"I'm going to make dinner." Sanji dismissed heading off.
Hari smiled at all of them and kicked his chest against the railing.
"I'm going to rest if you don't mind. Unless there was something you wanted me to do?"
"Go ahead and rest." Nami shrugged turning back to her maps and desk moved onto the deck for the nice weather.
She didn't want to give him a job that could get him to know their ship more then he had too. Luffy miught be welcoming but the rest were a bit more paranoid then the rubber boy. Robin returned to her book, Chopper to his medicine, Zoro to training, and Luffy and Ussop returned to goofing of. Robin and Zoro both kept an eye on the newcomer, never letting him out of their senses. Their guest laid his coat out and leaned against his chest, pulling his hat over his eyes and for intents and purposes appeared to drift off.
Zoro and Robin shared a look but neither voiced the shared thought of how power seemed to radiate off even the sleeping form. They didn't tell the others there was something dangerous about this man that made them tense and wary. Luffy appeared to have notice but had dismissed it as easily as he dismissed everything. Sanji had also noticed but retreated to his kitchen, knowing they could deal with it. Zoro glanced at the sleeping man and decided he would take over the night's watch for Ussop and Chopper. Rather safe then sorry.
.-.
"Thank you for the meal." Hari smiled at the cook.
"Not a problem." Sanji said lighting a smoke, eyeing the man. "When Nami-swan is done with you you'll have more then paid me back."
Hari laughed and Sanji just raised a brow at him as if questioning his carefree attitude.
"You're awfully cheerful for learning you'll be cheated out of everything in that chest of yours." He said.
"After a while money stops being important." Hari smiled at him. "And you find there are other things that are truly important. Nami will realize this one day, hopefully before everything truly important is gone."
Sanji pondered this as the man dug into the food. Wise words with a bitter tone. It almost sounded as if the man had learned this to late or someone close to him had.
"It's delicious. Best I've ever tasted" Hari complimented as he gave a happy purr.
Sanji grinned and hid the flush of pride. Hari just smiled at him and ate heartily, making small compliments on everything.
.-.
"Sooo…." Luffy drawled out as he sat on the railing. "Why don't you have a nice crew?"
"You mean like yours?" Hari asked. "Like people I can trust?"
"Yeah!"
"Never attempted to get one." Hari said easily. "When I first started to become a pirate I moved to the island we'll reach tomorrow. I mostly just hoped aboard other ships or the first two years until I got fed up with the lack of skill and leadership skills. Then I decided, hell, I could be a captain. I didn't have any friends, so no one to join me. Since I don't go on long journeys I just hire who ever wants to be hired. This is the fifth mutiny. You think they would have learned by now."
Luffy gave a thoughtful frown. Hari laughed at his attempt at a serious face.
"I got it!" Luffy finally said. "You should join my crew!"
Hari turned an amused expression to the youth.
"You don't even know my last name." The man chuckled. "Or if I'm strong or even if I'm a good guy."
"So?" Luffy demanded. "I think you're nice. And you seem strong! You should join my crew!"
Hari laughed at the youth but not in an offensive way.
"Perhaps." He said.
Luffy didn't comment that the perhaps sounded like a solid 'no' to him.
"I noticed you earlier playing with your other crew member, the one with the sling shot. You have eaten a devil fruit?"
"Yup! The Gomu Gomu fruit!" Luffy cheered stretching his cheek. "And Robin has a fruit that makes her body parts grow every where! She makes hands pop up all the time. And Chopper ate the fruit to make him more human."
"You're all strong then?"
"My whole crew is strong." Luffy nodded. "Zoro's got some cool swords and Sanji does this kicking stuff, and Nami uses a staff, and Ussop is our sniper! We're going to find one piece and I'm going to become King of The Pirates!"
"A grand goal." Hari said smiling softly.
"What's your dream?" Luffy asked with a grin.
"My dream?" Hari asked. "I don't have one."
"What? You have to have a dream!" Luffy said aghast. "Everyone has one."
Hari stared at him sombrely.
"I used to have one. But that dream was stolen. Some dreams never come true." He said.
Luffy wilted under his sad aura.
"But I have the feeling you will reach yours." Hari smiled making Luffy brighten.
"You should make another one if your last one failed." Luffy said. "Dreams are good things."
"I suppose." Hari smiled.
"Who stole yours?" Luffy asked. "I could beat them up for you!"
"Thanks for the offer. But the ones who stole my dream are long gone. The only one you could ever meet, well, no use fighting him for me." Harry said smiling still, even if Luffy thought the smile looked almost weary. "And your night shift is over."
"Ah! I got to wake Ussop and then get some sleep so we can explore the town tomorrow!"
.-.
"So this is Panic Port?" Nami asked curiously looking up at the edges of the cliff that guarded the harbour.
"Yup." Hari said looking out over the calm waters of the harbour.
Nami took note of the many vessels floating in the water, either carrying a pirate flag or a flag with what looked like a red cross painted on it.
"Will the people give us any problems?" Zoro asked as he shifted his swords.
Hari grinned at him.
"Depends on whether they think it's worth it."
"Talking about worth, you owe us some beli." Nami said innocently.
Hari laughed again and moved to his chest. He did something with the lock that none saw and it popped off. When he lifted the lid they all hid gasps of awe. Inside the chest lay a multitude of gold, jewels, and other things. Nami had hearts in her eyes. Hari pulled out a good couple of large jewels and a bunch of gold stuffing it in a velvet pouch and tossed it to the red head. She squealed happily and planted a kiss on his cheek which Harry laughed at goodheartedly. Sanji shouted something and almost attacked Hari while Ussop awed over the gold and Zoro stared and Luffy laughed.
Next they dropped anchor and even got on land no problem, Robin and Chopper opting to stay and watch ship while the rest went to land.
"They have a market right?" Nami question.
"Yes. Like a normal town but run by pirates. Best take a guard with you. There are men here with large bounties who will not hesitate to drag you in a back alley if they think you're pretty enough or have enough money." Hari replied.
Nami nodded curtly.
"I'll go with you Nami-swan." Sanji volunteered, hearts in his eyes.
Hari coughed delicately, a slight smirk on his face.
"I would watch your back Sanji. Not many pretty women on this island. Those that are, are quite adapt at guarding themselves so even pretty men get eyed. And well, you're blonde and slender."
Sanji paled and Zoro roared with laughter. In the end they opted to stay together.
"What about you Hari?" Luffy asked as they walked down the cobble road. "Aren't you going to track down your old crew and your ship?"
"I saw my ship in the harbour. And we'll most likely run across the crew eventually as we're heading to the main street."
.-.
"This is great." Nami sighed happily. "They have the height of fashion here. I found this cute dress that looks wonderful."
"It looks gorgeous." Sanji agreed, hearts in his eyes as he remembered.
"They've got some cool stuff." Luffy agreed looking about.
"Wimpy fighters though." Zoro grunted.
"Those were low lives not smart enough to look at a wanted sheet with your picture on it." Hari laughed at Zoro's put-off attitude.
Suddenly some loud laughs and a scream drew their attention. A man came flying out of one of the tavern's screaming as he clutched a wound on his arm. Another group followed, one of the men carrying a bloody drawn sword.
"Thought you could challenge us?" the man laughed, his crew behind him giving menacing smirks and glares. "Not in a million years! We beat the captain of the Red Riddle! And you? You're just trash!"
The whole crew laughed as the man tried to scoot back, cursing. The people who had been walking on normally, even with the screaming and the inured man, paused to watch at the name of the captain. Whispers had spread through the crowd as the captain gave a satisfied smirk and raised his blade again.
"Defeated the captain of the Red Riddle?" Hari mock gasped. "Really?"
"Yeah." The man agreed nodding. "He was just a wimp."
"Is that so?" Hari said giving a smile that sent shudders up Sanji and Zoro's spines.
Nami took a step back along with a trembling Ussop. Luffy kept half his grin on his face, but his fist clenched, ready. Zoro wondered if he would have to use his swords or if it would be best to just back away while Sanji lit another smoke, eyeing their guest more warily. Hari loudly cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing even in the crowd, most of who had silence and stared with wide eyes, as if they could sense the waves of malice and power leaking out of Hari. The no-name captain froze and turned slowly, his body wracked with shivers. He stared at Hari with an expression of pure terror.
"C-Captain H-H-Hari!" He trembled. "Y-you're alive!"
"Yes." Hari said pleasantly, though shadows in his voice sounded of pain and horror to come. "I really have to thank you, for taking such good care of my ship while I was fighting off you friends."
The man trembled and started to babble, and everyone could see he was one of the men who had run while the stroger ones had stayed and been defeated, winning the ship only through cowardice. The crowd stepped further from him as Harry's green eyes judged him. The crew started to try to slink away but Harry's eyes snapped to them, freezing them in place.
"Oh, no." Hari smirked. "You're not leaving."
Nami gave a yelp of surpise as a huge wind picked up pushing the mutiny-crew back into the small cleared area while pushing the crowd back. Zoro drew his sword cautiously while Sanji leapt to catch Nami as she was blown back. Hari stepped through the strong swirling winds as if they were naught but a breeze to stand over the other man who had fallen to his knees.
"Mercy!" The man screamed.
"Mercy?" Hari asked with an amused smile.
Hari turned his back to the man and looked at the rest of the crew that stood trembling. Nami's cry of fright made him turn to find the begging man now on his feet, a sword aimed at him. Hari stood and let the attack hit, the blade sinking into his chest. Zoro and Sanji cursed as Nami and Ussop screamed and Luffy growled.
"Ha Ha!" The thug laughed nervously. "I Did it! I Killed him!"
"Killed who?" Hari asked amused.
The thug screamed and fell back, his sword staying behind with Hari. Hari laughed and pulled it out, blade clean of any blood.
"You can not kill the wind." Hari laughed.
The wind rose like a whirlwind, trapping all the men inside while keeping the crowd out.
"Kill him!" The captain screamed.
Hari just laughed and let all the items hit him. When the men jumped back, half leaving their weapons, the weapons fell from him with a clatter, no blood visible.
"The wind can not be harmed by such weapons." Hari said pulling his own cutlass loose.
He took his hat in one hand and swept it off, bowing low.
"Bow to the master of death, corpses."
Then he tossed the hat up and faded from existence, blowing away like ash on the wind. The wind around them kicked up until it was a huge twister, puling the dust from the road with it and making a huge dust twister. The Straw-Hat crew waited, tense, as did the crowd. Three seconds later screams rose in a chorus followed by laughter that chilled everyone to the bone. When the last scream died out the twister slowly dispersed, sending the dust away. When the view cleared all the crowd saw was mutilated corpses lying on the street, one half way through a window. All the crew was dead and lying, most cut up horrible, faces etched with terror.
The large black hat topped with the feather floated lazily to the ground, but stopped at five feet, a hand holding it. Like ribbons, wind whipped around, solidifying and gaining color as it changed into the shape of a man. Hari chuckled to himself and set the hat back on his head, swiping his sword through the air and dislodging the blood streaks before sheathing the weapon. Silence echoed through the street.
"The Bloody Whirlwind." A man whispered fearfully, hurrying away.
Mutters picked up and everyone studiously avoided looking at Hari as they scurried off, avoiding the corpses. Hari just smiled and strode back to the Straw-hat crew. Everyone but Luffy tensed, Zoro even drawing a sword.
"Did you have to kill them all? Most were ready to surrender." Luffy asked solemnly meeting Hari's eyes.
Hari grinned at him, eyes half lidded.
"Do you know what they listed as their qualifications when I asked why I should let them join my crew?"
Luffy tilted his head, solemn expression still on his face.
"They all bragged of murder and theft and rape. The man in charge there bragged to me how he had killed a son in front of his parents then raped their daughter. So did I have to kill them? No. Did I want to? Very much."
Luffy stared solemnly at him before tilting his hat down and heading off. People avoided him seeing as how he had walked away from Hari alive.
"You shouldn't get guys like those for your crew." Luffy called as he walked off.
Then he was skipping off looking cheerful as he looked about.
"Why hire them if you knew they were so bad?" Nami trembled slightly stepping away from a corpse.
"Because I knew men like them would not be content to be a hired crew long."
"You knew they would attack." Sanji frowned. "And you knew you would be able to kill them when that happened and make yourself seem like the good guy."
"Good Guy?" Hari laughed cheerfully. "I'm not a good guy Sanji. I was only ever the 'good guy' or the Hero once. And that ended up with me being betrayed by my closest friends and cast into what they viewed as a gate to death itself. Luckily for me that brought me here, but it made sure I would never be the hero again. Too much pain for nothing but misery and sacrifice."
Hari paused and solemnly tilted his hat over his eyes.
"I have suffered too much to be the hero. I am now just making my way through life trying to enjoy it."
Then he walked off after Luffy. Zoro sheathed his sword again.
"He's scary." Ussop whimpered.
"I guess he ate the Kaze Kaze Fruit." Nami noted softly not looking at the corpses still around.
"He'll be a strong ally if he takes Luffy up on his first offer to join us." Zoro said. "But I'm still sleeping with my swords."
.-.
"This is your ship?" Luffy asked in awe as he gazed at the huge pirate ship.
The flag flying above it was the same that had been on his small boat.
"Yeah." Harry nodded eyeing the ship sitting calmly in the water.
He was glad there were no cuts or scrapes to it. And nothing else looked broken. It was in as good condition as a week ago. There was a bit more garbage littering the deck but not permanent damage.
"Why's it red?" Sanji asked curiously. "Did you paint it?"
"Hardly." Harry snorted. "I was fighting against a large sea-cow and well, it tried to smash my ship by jumping on it. I cut it in two and the whole thing was drenched in blood. And well, a quick trick and the wood absorbed the blood. Figured it would be a good warning to my enemies.
"You cut a sea cow in half?" Nami gaped.
"Simple wind blades." Harry shrugged.
"How're you going to get over there?" Zoro asked. "You can't swim.
"I'm the wind remember." Harry smiled.
"You're ship is awesome!" Luffy yelled, already having stretched over there.
Harry nodded agreement. Nami suddenly looked up at the sky.
"Hurry up Luffy!" She yelled. "An ideal wind will be blowing in soon and we should ride it out!"
"Okay Nami!" Luffy yelled as he stretched back to them "So you coming Hari?"
Harry stared at the rubber man and then shook his head with a small smile.
"No. My Red Riddle and I are going to go find another crew." Harry said.
"Ahhh!" Luffy sighed. "Just…just lighten up on all the killing those trying to surrender would ya?"
"I only like to kill those who are criminals for a good reason." Harry shrugged. "But perhaps I'll tone it down."
"Good." Luffy nodded.
"So why call it the Red Riddle?" Sanji asked curiously.
"It's named after a man I knew long ago." Harry said.
"Did he die?" Luffy asked.
"Don't be so insensitive!" Nami hissed.
"No, not quite." Harry shrugged. "He's only partially dead.
"How can someone be partially dead?" Zoro snorted.
"By not being completely dead." Harry shrugged with an odd smile.
Sanji frowned as if he had seen something odd and Harry knew his eyes had flashed red for a moment. Tom liked to act up at times.
"So you're staying here?" Luffy asked as the rest of his crew turned back to the Merry Go.
"Yeah." Harry said. "But when you become king of the pirates, stop by again and visit."
"Of course!" Luffy whooped and took off. "BYE!"
Harry watched them go and felt his wind wrap about him.
"They'll be strong." He said to himself. "And I think that kid just might reach his goal."
'You always did believe in the foolish hopeful morons.' Came the chuckle.
"Shut up Tom." Harry sighed. "You're the reason I'm not going with them."
'I never asked you not to.' Tom smirked inside his mind.
"No, but you tend to like to kill off anyone I get close to. And that puts sleeping and falling unconscious on a hold unless I want to be possessed near them."
'Call it jealousy.'
"I prefer to call it you being a psycho warped by dark soul magic."
'Same thing. Not get aboard my ship and make sure it's okay.'
"Our ship Tom." Harry sighed.
He felt the wind caress him sympathetically as it lifted him over the water to the deck of his red ship. He pulled his hat off and ran a hand through his hair, the wind tugging playfully at him.
"Ah, oh well. They would have been fun, but I'd rather stay with the ship and my wind."
'And me.'
"And you of course Tom. Not as if I could ever get rid of you if I wanted."
'You could die.' Tom suggested.
"That's what I tried last time, and I ended up here."
Tom just laughed at him. Harry smiled into the wind. Perhaps he didn't have a dream or friends in this world, but he could say he was content.
.-.
THE END
.-.
Just an odd thought I came up with.
.-.