And boy was Lougetown an adventure, I don't believe I'd ever made an enemy so quickly before. I still find his anger towards me a little petty, I mean not all pirates are evil. Course I'm not saying that their all good either.
I rowed into the dock, and got swarmed by marines. "Woah woah! I haven't done anything wrong!" I said, as they aimed their guns at me.
"If you haven't done anything wrong mind telling us why you just disembarked from the ship of one of the most wanted pirates in the world?" A deep voice said from seemingly nowhere. Then I saw a cloud of smoke materialize into a tall white haired man.
A name came to my mind. Marine Captain Smoker. my mind raced, Carp! They're gonna lock me up if I don't think of something fast! "He was a wanted criminal?!" I said with shock in my voice, "I can't believe it! You'll have to forgive me mister marine captain, you see a few months ago I must'a had an accident or something because I can't remember a thing. But if I'd known that he was a wanted pirate!" I started to get myself all wound up, "I would'a taken his head myself!" I punched the air.
Some of the marines were startled at my outburst. Others(read:Captain Smoker) were less impressed, and didn't quite fall for it. He glared at me, I stared back.
He continued to glare at me, I continued to stare back. This went on for a little while longer before Smoker finally told the marines to stand down. I finally got of the boat after Smoker gave me a very very clear warning that if I were to try anything suspicious I'd be locked up faster than you can say "30,000 berries".
The first place I went was an inn, because I was going to need a place to stay. After renting a room for a week and retreating to it, I opened my suitcase and was quite puzzled by the gift Shanks had given me. On top of everything was a black cloth piece. I gently removed it and unfolded it.
I spent the next few minutes deciding on what I would do the next time I saw Shanks, Should I hug him? Or murder him? The black cloth was a bandana, and it had his Jolly Roger on it. I folded that up and picked up yet another black cloth, I unfolded this one.
This one was also a bandana, though this one did not have Shanks's Jolly Roger on it. I tied it around my head and placed the other bandana back in my suitcase. I set out into Lougetown.
About 4 hours later I returned to my room, I had some food and some sword polishing stuff. I spent the rest of the day polishing Ami and Ana.
I spent the rest of that day polishing my swords. Not the most exiting thing ever, but it was a good time consumer.
In fact thinking back, my few days on Lougetown weren't all that ground shattering. There were only two days where anything really important happened one was also the day I met a certain young boy wearing a straw hat. But the other came first.
It was a normal day, I was wondering around town, dodging Tashigi and Smoker, it's harder than it seems, but then again, it's hard to tell when smoke is following you.
I had The Jolly Roger bandana tucked into my belt, checking over my shoulder every so often.
"Hello!" A warm voice greeted me.
I looked at the person who was addressing me. He had nicely tousled blond hair, a well rounded face, and all around very bookish. Though his outfit brought about the idea that he was gayer than a tree full of monkey's on nitrous oxide.
"Hi." I eyed him, he didn't look familiar, but the way he addressed me suggested other wise.
"It's wonderful I found you."
"I don't know who you are..." I said slowly.
The man's face went blank. "You... you mean you don't remember me?" There was a British lilt in his voice. It was... familiar somehow. Maybe I did remember him.
Still I shook my head, "No... I don't, I'm sorry."
"Oh... Oh dear..." He turned slowly, "I'm sorry... I must have the wrong person..." The man slowly walked off pulling something out of his pocket, I felt bad for him. Honestly I felt terrible about not remembering the poor man. I girted my teeth, he was an odd man, a part of me didn't even feel like he was normal.
I almost wanted to scream at him to wait. Maybe he knew who I was. Maybe he knew more about who I was before I woke up all those many months ago on Shanks's ship.
The man turned down a road, and after a moment I pursued. But... he was gone. I looked around, but... he wasn't there.
"Hey. What are you doing lurking around here?" I groaned.
"I'm not lurking Captain Smoker."
"Sure seems like it to me."
I turned on my heel. "Everything I do looks like lurking to you."
The burly Smoke man was dressed more formally today than normal, I suspected that would change over the next few days. His silver smoke hair waving in the soft breeze. "Everything you do is lurking."
I tried my best to keep my composure, "You're just biased because I got off of a pirate ship. I haven't done anything to make you think I'm a law breaker."
He eyed my bandana, "So that's not a Jolly Roger?"
I glanced down at the bandana, "There's no way to prove it is without getting it off my person." We locked gazes, and in that second we both knew what was going to happen next.
I took off, Smoker in hot pursuit. The ocean. I reminded myself, He can't follow me into the ocean.
Hard left, soft right, dodge the shoppers.
My hotel room is closer. I thought, It would be easier to get to my hotel room and switch out my bandanas. With a nod I changed course, hearing Smoker shout behind be to stop. I dug into my pocket, grabbing the vial of sea water I kept on me after Shanks taught me about Devil Fruits. If he tried to smoke me out he'd be in for a surprise.
I barged into the hotel, bounding up the stairs to my room, shutting the door behind me. I quickly traded the styled bandana for the plain black one and hid it, but not before soaking it in sea water, so if Smoker was able to see it he wouldn't be able to get at it.
The door burst open. Smoker looked around the room, I was sitting on my bed, arm extended plain black bandana loosely hanging from my hand. "There you are Captain."
The marine regarded the bandana with interest. "Where did the Jolly Roger go?" He asked.
I shook my head. "There was no Jolly Roger. I just like leading you on."
He glared down at me, "Then why play games?"
"I'm always faster when I'm being chased," I shrugged, "I wanted to get back here faster so..."
"I should arrest you for being a pirate anyway." He pulled out another cigar and lit it.
I simply shrugged again, laying back on the bed. Smoker stormed out, shutting the door behind him.
I sighed in relief. "Thank god." I pulled the other bandana from it's hiding spot. "Shanks... will you ever stop causing me trouble?" I asked it, almost wishing it would answer. I laid there for a long while before pulling myself up, "I need a beer... or wine..." I opened my suitcase and pulled my second to last bottle of Éclair Tonerre wine and popped it open.
"Happy birthday to me." I said softly, taking a drink from the bottle. I turned 19 on that day.
Things didn't really get better or worse from that point on. Things just seemed more boring, until one pirate captain and his crew came to town.
The day started out like normal, wake up, yawn, stretch, get dressed, go outside, and that's where the similarities stopped. Because as soon as I got outside a thin figure rushed past screaming, "EXICUTION PLATFORM!"
It took my brain a moment to actually process that someone could really be that stupid. Then it also click in my mind, that boy had been wearing a straw hat. Not just any straw hat but the straw hat. That boy was Monkey D. Luffy.
I attempted to give chase but he had gotten to far ahead. I caught my breath by a shop window. "Damn, I didn't think he'd be able to run that fast." I panted as I glanced into the window. Something caught my eye, it was an old chess set. I hate chess, I thought to myself, but Thursday would love that chess set. Wait, do I even know a Thursday?I must... I feel like I do anyway...
I walked into the store, giving a passing glance at the street, in case Luffy realized he was going the wrong direction and came back. He didn't. I walked up to the shop keeper. "How much for the chess set?"
The shop keeper looked at me then at the chess set. "You like chess?"
"No... It's for a friend of mine."