A.N: And back to the main story-line we go! But first I want to thank everyone for reading this story, I got so many views on the previous chapter, it made me really happy! So thanks a lot. Although a few reviews would have been nice….. I'm not complaining! Of course not … It just would have been nice to know what people were thinking is all…
Ahem, enough of that… urhm… sorry if you had to wait for this chapter, I've found myself a beta reader but she had exams and couldn't get round to helping me till now. As for me I've been busy getting ready for an exhibition of my art work. Gyaaa I'm so nervous, it's a manga version of chapter 1 of this very story XD
I'm guessing you're sick of me rambling on by now so here is chapter 15! Enjoy!

One Piece does not belong to me!

Monster Hunt

Eric was watching Endrino with sparkling eyes of admiration. As far as Eric was concerned his father-figure looked so cool right now. The boy didn't really understand the whole bounty thing, as he did not know what a bounty was, but he knew that was a big number and he guessed that must be a good thing, for Endrino anyway.

Endrino stood there, his hand still on the bar counter where he had slammed it down just a minute earlier. He looked the bar maid in the eye sending a fearful shiver down her spine. "Now let's get to the point. You want us pirates, to get rid of some monster? Right?"
"Y-Yes" Said bar maid stuttered, unable to compose herself under the teenager's glare.
"Then," Endrino leant forward over the counter towards Cena menacingly, not taking his gaze from her eyes for a millisecond. He could sense her fear and he knew that to keep the upper hand on this situation he must keep her feeling like that for as long as possible. "You must realise that you are going to have to pay us right? After all we are pirates we don't do anything for free you know."
Katashi wailed in protest at his captain's statement and actions. Disliking the way Endrino was threatening the young woman.
Whereas Cozmo and Eric kept quiet, knowing better than to interrupt when their captain was clearly up to something.
Cena let out a deep, if shaky breath and managed to regain a bit of her composure. Inwardly she was cursing herself for freaking out, she should be glad that this guy had such a high bounty right? After all that should mean he should definitely be able to rid them of that horrible creature. "Of course" she answered the captain's question. "Just a moment," And with that she went into the store room behind the bar.

Endrino sat back down on a stool, arms folded across his muscular chest. His green eyes did not leave the doorway that Cena had gone through for a second. He was aware that everyone was watching him, including Eric, whose eyes seemed to have turned into glittering stars, as he admired his captain.

Cena returned, struggling with a large and presumably heavy wooden chest. She tried to lift it up onto the counter but couldn't lift it high enough.
Endrino decided to relieve her of this problem. Once again he stood up from his stool and leant over the counter, reaching over the other side to grasp hold of the wooden chest.
Cena looked at him surprised, she had been sure the pirates would have made fun of her for being so weak but here was their captain trying to help her. "Careful, it's heavier than it looks" She warned him before letting go.
Endrino grinned at her and lifted the chest up and onto the counter with ease.
Cena gasped in surprise, but a quick glance at his muscular arms made her realise how silly she had been, as it was obvious by his chiselled body that he worked out.
Katashi pouted as he noticed her ogling Endrino's abs. Yes, Endrino could make an excellent wing man sometimes, but he also had a habit of steeling the ladies away from the navigator without even realising he was doing it.
Endrino however didn't even seem to notice, and, removing a dagger from his belt, he popped open the lock of the chest. Flicking the lid back he grinned again, the contents of the chest being very much to his liking.
Inside the chest was filled with gold coins, jewel studded gold jewellery and even several 100 beri notes.
Cozmo leant forward eagerly, exchanging an excited glance with his gold loving captain.
Endrino picked up a jewel-studded piece of gold, eying it carefully before putting it back into the chest. "Haha, all right then Miss Cena. If you give us all this you've got yourself a deal" He chuckled happily.

"YAY!" Eric shouted happily "Let's go on a monster hunt!" He called excitedly.
Endrino chuckled, and lifted Eric back onto his bare shoulders, Katashi and Cozmo also got to their feet, ready to leave.

Eric grinned from his place high upon Endrino's shoulders. He could feel the extra spring in his captain's bouncy, slightly swaggering steps as they set off from the pub.
Katashi also seemed extra pumped up at the idea of 'helping Cena-chan'.

All the same though, Eric couldn't help but feel nervous. The closest he had ever came to meeting a monster was Endrino's gryphon form, and that hadn't really been that scary because it was his captain and no matter how much Eric had annoyed him, Endrino had never actually hurt him. Although he did threaten to do so.
Who knows what a real born and bred monster would be like?
At the same time as this nervousness, Eric was also being influenced by the excited energy he could feel flowing through his older crew-mates. Their feelings seemed to be burning away the fear from him, as that feeling grew Eric started to sing.

"We're going on a monster hunt,
we're going to find a big one!
Captain's going to kick its ass,
and then we'll get gold from Cena-chan!"

Endrino and the other teenagers burst into laughter at this, but they were all in such a good mood that they ended up joining in with Eric's song themselves, as they headed to a forest believing that would be a good place to start their 'monster hunt'.

As they entered the forest Eric stopped singing and interrupted everyone else. "Hey, Hey, Captain. What kind of monster is it?" he asked curiously, the nervousness returning as they walked into the shadows of the branches.
Endrino paused; he didn't know the answer to that. He probably should have found that out, the idea of forgetting something so important bothered him like an annoyingly mocking voice in his head.
"It's scary isn't it? Cena is afraid of it." Eric continued.
Endrino rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's why they call it a monster, but don't worry, no matter what it is me and the crew will handle it" he smiled reassuringly, reaching up to ruffle Eric's hair.
Eric blushed "I knew that!" he protested.
Endrino chuckled and they all carried on, going deeper into the forest.

After half an hour of walking through the forest the group had found nothing.
Cozmo turned to his captain, attempting to break the silence that had fallen over the small group of young pirates. "Smell anything?" He asked.
Endrino shook his head. "Nothing, well, nothing unusual anyway." He added, his sense of smell was far more acute than that of his friends thanks to his particular type of devil fruit powers.
"Damn!" Cozmo exclaimed in disappointment. "I thought finding this thing would be easy with your amazing sense of smell and animal instincts Captain!"
Endrino just sighed at this, deciding not to take offence to the 'animal instinct' comment. To be honest he too had hoped that his honed in senses would help them on this task but it seemed that, if there really was a monster, it certainly wasn't in this forest.
"We have to find it…. Or Cena-chan won't love me any more…" Katashi moaned in a depressed voice.
Cozmo and Endrino sweat-dropped at the navigator's words.
"I didn't think she loved you in the first place" The captain grumbled under his breath. He sighed, resigning himself to the idea that the monster wasn't going to be found in the forest. Glancing at the sky through the leaves of the tree's he could see the reddening of the sky, a sure sign that the sun was setting. Also he could tell by the feeling of Eric's drooping body upon his shoulders that the youngest member of his crew was falling asleep. Well the boy had had a rather long day Endrino thought. "Let's go back to the ship" he said to his fellow teenagers.
Cozmo nodded in understanding, he too had noticed the sudden lack of energy that had overcome Eric.
Katashi grumbled in protest, he was just about to say how they had to continue searching for his beloved Cena-chan, when his caught sight of the daring glare his captain was giving him. A look that spoke 'Just you dare try to undermine me' and of course Katashi knew far better than to try and find out what would happen if he did.
And with that the group of four went back to The Rione, Endrino was leading the way with Eric still on his bare shoulders. Cozmo followed a step behind, almost at his captain's side with Katashi following further behind him.