Author's Note - I have decided that this story will have exactly 26 chapters total. I have the very very basic outline of the end written up, and i will likely have the final product finished by the end of this weekend. There are a few key points i have yet to decide on, and i will just have to see what direction the story takes as i write it.
Special Thanks to megaME for their steadfast reviews and support, as well as numerous suggestions. Now, I will NOT post another chapter until i receive a review from someone else. Period. Until them, i will be holding the end hostage. So, review! Pretty please! Sign in, and say something slightly substantial, and the rest will appear in due course.
Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece or any of the other fandoms from which names, places, abilities, or references are taken! Imaginary points to anyone who catches said references throughout the story and PM's them to me. Dunno if you'll get anything real, but i give sneak peaks and deleted scenes to my repeated reviewers, so it isn't unthinkable.
Chapter 22 - Hope in the North
The next morning the Straw Hat Pirates were loaded down with thick coats and a large variety of food that Soul quickly stored in the nowhere around himself. The chief and medicine man both gave their thanks and best wishes, then they were off. By that evening, they were beginning to notice the dropping temperature.
It was late, and most of the crew had already gone to sleep, curled up in their blankets and the new coats they had been given. Outside, Soul and Cora were watching the fire, her back pressed to his chest, and his coat and blanket around them both.
"Why did that song make you so happy, Soul?" Cora stretched slightly, then snuggled closer.
"I am not sure yet, but it did. I'm sure it will make sense eventually." Soul kissed her shoulder and closed his eyes. It's all been done before... He wasn't sure what it meant, but he could feel it was important. It sounded kind of sad, if he thought about what those words could mean, but it filled him with hope.
Cora was not complaining. Whatever part of her song had improved his mood had also got her lots of kisses and a warm pillow, so she would call it a complete success.
Seducing men with your music now? Shame on you. Her voice said in her head. Not this again.
I did not seduce him! Shut up! I'm not talking to myself anymore! Cora almost growled out loud, but settled for a momentary frown before the happiness of having Soul's arms around her wiped all thoughts of her own insanity out of her mind.
Inside one of the tents, Rachel was laying awake next to Roger's sleeping form. She grinned at the ceiling and shifted to a more comfortable position, the red haired man's arm acting as a pillow for her as she pressed his side up against him.
It was like a dream come true. She looked to the corner of the tent where three swords leaned together. Maybe she should add a third sword to her flag... She felt the man's arm curl around her and roll her against him in his sleep, his other arm snaking around her waist. She sighed and settled for draping an arm and leg across his body. The blankets were twisted around them, and she was slowly pulling them up as the heat of their evening together dissipated.
Roger had been happier than ever to finally meet his father. She wondered what they would do when this adventure was over. Maybe they would go back to her home in North Blue and start a family... At this rate, they may have a family before they got to North Blue. She giggled and tugged the blanket up around their shoulders. She could get used to these cold nights, as long as she had her own personal heater.
She closed her eyes and thought about that future. Would Roger ever want to leave Ace's crew? Would she ever want to leave her own? Maybe... Roger had a family too, and they would be in East Blue. Maybe they could live there, neighbors with Zoro's daughters. They could become instructors for young swordsmen...
She fell asleep thinking about a family of sword masters living in the most peaceful sea.
Steel played his sister's voice one more time before curling up and closing his eyes. He was sharing a tent with Musei, Callan, and Soul. Soul was still outside with Cora. Callan slept like a rock, relying on his mantra to alert him to any danger, and Musei seemed to be able to tune out the world around him as easily as he could silence the slightest of his own sounds. The sniper still felt a little guilty about his nightly habit, but they never complained. He was lucky to have found these people.
He thought about this strange crew he had joined. His father had enough respect for the previous Pirate King to say he was proud of his son. That was something Steel never thought he would hear, but he was glad he had. Now, instead of dreading returning home, he was looking forward to it. He would be able to see his little sister, and his father would accept him as he was. The sniper of the Pirate King. Not a swordsman, but worth something none the less.
He knew his mother would be waiting to welcome him back, and he was even looking forward to seeing her as well. She had never stood up for him before, but she did care about him. She had believed his father was pushing him for good reasons, and he couldn't blame her for that. She had been a slave once, but she had forgotten just how valuable freedom was to someone who didn't have it.
Steel played with the twisted necklace his father had sent him. It was in the shape of a cross, only torn badly by a powerful sword thrust. He had worn it for as long as Steel could remember, but with the last message they exchanged, he had sent it to his son. It had been polished smooth so its jagged edges would not cut into him, but he could still clearly see where the blade had pierced it.
That small necklace had saved his father's life once, in his final duel with Roronoa Zoro. The only fight his father had ever lost, and the one he was most proud to have taken part in. Steel made a promise to himself to learn more about his father when he returned home. Clearly there was more to him than the young man had known.
And his little sister... He missed Sabre so much. She would be almost six years old now... He wondered what kind of girl she would be now. Would she hate him for leaving? How long would it take for him to earn back her trust? She meant the world to him, but he had to have his freedom...
He would face that when the time came. For now, he had to be here for his nakama. They relied on his eyes and his rifle to watch their backs.
Callan was deep in sleep, dreaming about the beautiful doctor. Her long black hair, her sea green eyes, her constant kind smile... And she was noticing him now. She still kept Roger company occasionally, on the rare occasions Rachel was not at his side, but she would seek out the winged man several times a day, if only to share a meal together.
He was glad she had begun wearing her hair longer than her twin, or he would have trouble telling them apart. That would be embarrassing. Although... He could usually tell it was her even before he saw her. A gift of his mantra. Somewhere in the world around him, a young girl's voice filtered into his dreams. He registered it as Steel playing his sister's message before he went to sleep, as usual. Not a threat. He slept on.
Musei was meditating, laying silently in the middle of their shared tent. He was impressed by this group he had found himself in. He had not intended to join them when he set out for Raftel in the company of the marines, but he could not find it in himself to regret the decision. Although no one had actually called him a member of the crew, or addressed any formality of him joining them, everyone seemed to just accept that he was one of them now, including himself.
The captain... Ace was a capable leader. When obstacles arose in front of them, he never hesitated, and always had a plan to put into action. He was always prepared to protect his crew. It was truly admirable. He had the honorable heart of a great swordsman. Then there were the two sword masters.
The girl was astonishing. She carried the two most dangerous cursed blades in the world as if they were her friends, and they seemed to work well with her. When she fought, he could feel the blood lust of her blades, and the slight strain she had keeping them in control. Their occasional sparring just served to reinforce the idea that she was going to achieve great things one day.
The red haired man, son of an emperor, was an equal master, although his sword carried a blessing rather than a curse. The everlasting armament haki on the blade left it a danger to logia users and nearly indestructible. He had yet to see the man sharpen it, but the blade remained like a razor. His own blade had remained sheathed the last few days. His sharpening and cleaning equipment was nearly exhausted, and he needed to be ready for a fight, if it came up.
He found himself in the constant company of either the two sword masters, or the sniper. Steel had proven the only other member of the crew who enjoyed the simple pleasure of silence as much as he did.
He had watched Soul and Cora with interest, wondering what it was that drew those two together. A girl who might have only the loosest grasp on sanity, and a man who was once a renowned murderer. How had they come together? It was a mystery.
The twins were remarkable, carrying them hundreds of miles in a single day. They would keep jumping until they collapsed from exhaustion or Ace ordered them to stop. They never once complained, and took pride in being able to help the crew with their ability. Mostly, he thought, they were happy to be helping Ace. He knew they had a long history together, and only knew small fractions of it.
Callan had been teaching him mantra, which he had already known the basics of, but never mastered. He hoped with that, he might be able to take Rachel and Roger at once. The two of them together were nearly equal to the legendary Zoro himself. Three swords, with the strength, speed, and ferocity of a demon behind them.
Kuina was humming quietly to herself as she tugged a brush through her sister's hair.
"Why'd you go and let it get so long anyway?" The navigator asked, trying to wrestle a knot out without yanking it out of her twin's head. Olivia winced but didn't move.
"I thought I'd try it out. We've always kept our hair the same length. I may try it short next, cause this is a pain in the butt. Thanks for helping, Sis."
"No problem, Liv." Kuina finally pulled through the knot and felt Olivia relax as she ran her fingers through the doctor's scalp. "I'm surprised you didn't ask Callan to brush it for you. He'd have jumped on the opportunity." The doctor blushed at that.
"I... I am not sure about getting in to anything with him... I'd rather not fall for him and have some other girl steal him away again..." Olivia slouched slightly. "Wonder how long it is going to be before Cora and Soul start sharing a tent..."
"Cora is a lot younger than us, in a lot of ways. She has only been out in the world for a year. Soul's being very careful to take care of her. And don't try to change the subject, Liv. Going so slow is why you lost Roger. You never actually did anything to let him know you were crazy about him. Guys are stupid about that stuff, you know." Kuina flicked the girl's ear. Olivia grabbed her ear and scowled, but couldn't disagree.
"So I should have grabbed him, thrown him on the kitchen table, and had my way with him, then Rachel would have been out of luck?" Olivia asks. Kuina laughed.
"First, I will never forget that mental image, so I will be sure to give you nightmares too, and second... Maybe. I don't know. But I do know that if you don't make it very clear that you like Callan, he won't wait for you forever." The navigator says, setting the brush aside and hugging her sister. "Get a move on, before we meet some cute girl up here with a fetish for wings."
"Those wings do make a really comfy pillow..." Olivia stood up and stretched, then walked over to her bed. "You staying here tonight or going back to Ace's tent?"
"I think I'll stay here. He has a lot on his mind, and he needs some time to think. Besides, I don't get to use you as a pillow much anymore." Kuina jumped the few feet to her sister's bed and then yawned, laying her head on the doctor's stomach. "Good night, Liv."
"Night, Sis." Olivia sighed and resigned herself to being a pillow until the shorter haired girl remembered how hard it was to sleep when your pillow kept moving.
The Ice Lands were cold. Ace was thankful once again that they had been able to find people willing to supply them with warm clothing, or he doubted they would have survived. The sheets of ice began rising slowly, until the glaciers were so thick he could not detect the earth beneath with his mantra. It was beautiful, really. White and blue for as far as they could see.
The only people who seemed unfazed by the cold were Soul and Callan. The winged man was even walking through the knee deep snow shirtless, Olivia sleeping in his arms. Soul was wearing his typical shirt and pants, with his coat wrapped around Cora. The thin girl was still shivering, but less so, now that there was more coat than person.
"Soul, how are you not freezing?" Cora asks from inside the bundle of clothing. The Reaper laughes and spreads his arms to the fields of ice.
"It's amazing! I have always preferred being too cold to being too hot. It makes it much easier to sleep. Maybe I just run a little hotter than most." He grins at the walking pile of coats next to him that shakes its head at his strangeness. "Callan is the one to ask, he's half naked. Even I want something between me and the wind and snow."
"Winter in Skypiea is a lot harsher than winter on the blue sea. I'm used to much worse than this, and the exercise keeps me plenty warm." The winged man said simply. Olivia was not much of a burden for him, and her warm body was more than enough to keep the cold at bay.
Ace had Kuina hanging on his back, half asleep, like her twin. Her jumps were shorter in the snow, and Soul suggested it may take more effort with the fluffy obstacles than usual. They hoped to make it out of the polar region before nightfall, but without the twins' ability, it looked unlikely.
As usual, Steel is the first to spot the upcoming village.
"Captain, people ahead. We should rest there, and see how far we have to the end of the Ice Land." The sniper said. Ace nodded and the pirates approached, careful not to appear threatening.
The people were wrapped in thick white clothes, nearly blending into the arctic background. When they caught sight of the pirates, they moved from milling about to an organized defensive formation. Ace gently set a drowsy Kuina on her feet and held up his hands in a gesture of peace.
"We come in peace! We are armed, but we mean you no harm. We are traveling, and will pass on if we are not welcome." The captain said loudly and clearly. The people of the village seemed to relax almost immediately.
"You come from our neighbors to the south?" One of them asks. Ace nods and slowly lowers his hands. He waits for one of them to approach. When the first man reaches them, he looks over the pirates warily, before swinging his ax over his back and extending a hand. "I'm the second in command of our village and in charge of hunting and defense. My name is Kita. Just the nine of you?"
"Ten. The pile of coats has a person under it." Ace grins as he gestures toward Cora. She waves, causing the villager to raise an eyebrow at her attire, but nothing more.
"Forgive our rude welcome, you are not the typical traders we deal with, and any stranger could be from Takai Tokoro. It is not a risk we like to take, but it is clear you are not one of them. Please, come in." Kita invited them into the village.
It was larger than the first, with houses built of stone, wood, and even ice. As soon as they were inside, Cora extracted herself from her cocoon and looked around. The others were equally interested. The building was the largest in the village by far, and it was set so deep in the ice that it actually went under ground. The strange part was the warmth.
"Underground hot spring. It's why we settled here. It is the only place in the Ice Land that there is liquid water, which sustains us and draws animals for food." Kita explained. The Straw Hat's stripped off their heavy coats and found seats around the room. "Now, if you are not from our neighbors, where are you from, and what brings you so far north?"
"We are from the ocean below, and we're on our way to Takai Tokoro with the hopes of destroying the source of their madness." Ace said. He decided it would be better not to mention their intent to slay a supposed god they may still honor.
"I don't believe that is possible. They have been this way for generations. How did you come from the sea below? No such thing has been done before! The few in our history that ever tried to descend never returned, and none have come to us from below."
"We flew." Ace went on to explain the devil's fruit abilities of the world below, as well as the use of haki. He introduced his crew, and gathered all the information he could on their destination. There wasn't much of use, and what little there was, Kita was reluctant to give them. He believed they would be enslaved, raped, and murdered before they ever had a chance to fight back.
"There was a legend that there was an ancient tree who's fruit granted powers like the ones some of your crew have. They couldn't change their shape or control the forces of nature, but they could do other things. Things that affected others as well as themselves. I don't know much more, but they are dangerous and you should turn back now. Once you leave the Ice Land, you could run into them anywhere."
"Turning back is not an option. I will continue on, and anything you could tell us would give us a better chance. We've sailed the most dangerous ocean in the world. We don't scare easily." Ace was adamant. On one hand, he was reluctant to put his crew in danger without knowing exactly what he was getting himself into, he still knew he had to destroy the entities he had set out to find.
"I see... They hunt in groups of three, and when I say hunt, I don't just mean for food. Any nomads caught within what they consider their territory is taken. What they do once they take them can range from using them as slaves until their bodies give out, to torturing and killing them for entertainment or 'education'. A few people have escaped and given us these reports, so accuracy may be faulty, but I know the bodies we have found indicate the truth of their claims." Kita said.
"Maybe not all of us should go... We would present a large target to marauding groups." Callan suggested. Ace nodded reluctantly. He wanted to protect his crew, but he also knew they stood the greatest chance of success if they went together.
"I think we should stay together. We have tricks they are clueless about." Olivia said defensively. She was glad that Callan was concerned for them, but she would not let her captain and life long friend go into danger like that without his doctor.
"You are welcome to stay the night here and think it over. In the morning, if you are still determined to go on, or wish to leave any of your crew here to wait, we will do what we can to accommodate you, but none of my men will go into their territory." Kita offers. Ace nods.
"Thank you. I appreciate it." Ace bowed to the man and then shook his hand. "I hope that our mission will make life easier for your people. We don't really know what it is that we are walking in to, and that bothers me. My grandfather taught me to think before I act, but for the time being, I am going to have to follow my father, and act all the harder for the lack of thought."
"I hope that you all survive. You are too kind for what will happen to you if you fail." Kita sighed and left the underground room. The pirates spread out to see the village. Ace found his way to the village chief, a very old man who had only a few wisps of white hair left on his head.
"Fuyu Eienno, I am honored to meet you." Ace said respectfully. From what Kita had said, this man was responsible for the survival of their village, after an attack fifty years before by the men from Takai Tokoro.
"The honor is mine, Pirate King." The ancient man bowed and smiled kindly at him, but Ace was too surprised to respond immediately.
"How do you know that? I only told Kita we were pirates..."
"Ah, it has been a gift of mine for many years. When I was young, my family was captured by those men of the old city, and I was the only survivor. While I was there, I ate one of their cursed fruit, hoping to gain the power to escape. From then on, I have been able to see the past of those I meet. It did allow me to escape. As they say, 'know your enemy'." The old man waved the pirate in and sat in a chair near a roaring fire. Ace sat across from him.
"That is a truly amazing ability." Ace was beginning to see a pattern with these abilities. The Zoan abilities bonded one with creatures. Logia bonded people with elements. This new kind bonded them with the world around them. Paramecia bonded them with themselves, in a way.
"We called them Shinzui Fruit." The old man seemed to read his mind. Ace grinned and nodded. That was better. Zoan, Logia, Paramecia, and Shinzui. It was nice to have a name for things.
"Well, is there anything I can tell you that you don't already know?" Ace asked. It was interesting, talking to someone who may know him better than he knew himself. The old man laughed.
"From what I know, I imagine I only know a small fraction of the whole. I can see you have done truly incredible things, but I only see you. You could tell me about your friends. I only know a person once I have looked into their eyes. Until then, they are a stranger, just like any other." Eienno said. Ace smiled and nodded. His nakama were easy to talk about.
Several hours later, after many stories and even more laughs, Kita came to find him.
"Your friends have been amazing us with stories of your adventures, and the rest of the village would like to meet you. Chief, do you think you can spare him?"
"Yes, I imagine I could spend the rest of the night listening to stories of the ocean, but an old man needs his rest. Keep him out of trouble, and lend him any aid you can tomorrow. I hope this is not our final meeting, but I bid you farewell and safe journey, Pirate King. If only I could see the future rather than the past." Eienno said sadly as he watched the pirate leave.
When Ace reached the others, he was greeted with a few cheers of admiration and dragged to the group by a few of the adoring villagers.
"What have you guys been telling them?!" Ace asked, confused by the enthusiastic reaction.
"Nothing but the truth, Captain. Apparently they don't have quite so many adventures up here." Soul grinned. Cora was sitting on his lap, only wearing one coat now, and playing lightly on her guitar between stories.
"Well, I'm here now. I'm not sure what you expect of me." Ace was still a little thrown by their reaction to him.
"Well, as a master of every form of haki, a few of the warriors were hoping for a sparing match." The first mate grinned. He clearly hadn't told them that everyone in the crew could hold their own against an ordinary human with no trouble.
"I suppose I can accommodate that..." Ace took off his coat and then walked to the center of a clearing, feeling the grip his boots had on the ice. Not bad. At least he would not fall on his face without some help. "How many?"
"Five seems a fair start." Steel suggested. Five of the villagers immediately jumped to their feet. The pirates watched with amused grins as the villagers tried their very best to lay a blow on their captain. By the time they were exhausted, Ace was barely warmed up.
"Fight blindfolded!" Roger laughed as he held Rachel's bandana out. She glared at him for it, but was just as interested in watching the event as he was, so she let him get away with it.
Ace tied the cloth around his eyes and reached out with his mantra, feeling every blow that came his way. He was careful to block and dodge in ways that would keep from hurting the men around him. Even if their skill couldn't hope to touch his, they were still the warriors of the village and needed to be in good shape to defend their families.
"Well, I guess you have more of a chance with the monsters in Takai Tokoro than I thought." Kita said, watching in amazement as his best warriors were defeated by a blindfolded man. "How can you fight like that?"
"It's an ability called Haki. It lets you use your ambition and that of those around you as weapons. This form, Observation Haki, also called Mantra, allows me to feel the ambition of those around me and predict exactly what they are going to do before they do it. Callan is even better than I am, with mantra. Roger is close with Armament Haki, which allows me to turn my ambition into armor to protect my body and cut through the power of Devil's Fruits. Soul is the only other one of us who has used Conqueror's Haki. It allows me to crush my opponents under the force of my ambition. It is the rarest form of haki that is commonly known." Ace explained.
"Are there any that are less commonly known, since I have never heard of any of them?" Kita asked.
"Yes, one. It doesn't have a name, but it allows me to hear the voice of all things. I've only ever heard of two other people to have it." Ace stretched out his arm, conjuring his armament haki and then nodded to Musei, who immediately slashed his sword across the appendage, hitting it like a steel bar before sheathing his blade. Then he turned to the men seated around him. With a burst of his Conqueror's Haki, every single one of them slumped into unconsciousness. He turned back to Kita.
"Woah." The village's second in command stared in shock. He had not imagined when these strangers arrived that any human could be so powerful. He was beginning to feel just the tiniest amount of hope that Takai Tokoro would not be able to beat them.
"Show off." Kuina grinned as she grabbed his arm. "Don't worry, they aren't hurt at all. But even our crew is hard pressed to keep our feet against his haki." She wanted to compare him to the emperors who could not even match his strength, but then she remembered these people had no idea who people like Shanks and Marco were. It was a strange experience, being in a land where 'Son of Luffy' meant nothing. It was nice, actually.
The villagers recovered quickly, and Ace joined his crew in telling stories about their strength and skill to balance out all their stories about him. When they went to sleep, it was very late, and they were all thoroughly exhausted.
"The actual city is nearly two months steady travel, but there are traveling groups reaching as far north as the edge of the Ice Land. Don't let your guard down for an instant once you leave. I hope to be welcoming you back victorious in less than a year. Until then, may luck be on your side, and may your enemies not know what hit them." Kita and Eienno stood side by side, giving their final goodbyes to the group of pirates.
Ace had been running through the scenarios ahead in his mind most of the night, and although he was now exhausted, he was confident he had worked out an acceptable strategy.
Of the nights, Steel and Musei would take one watch, as Steel's eyesight was unmatched and Musei's concentration was equal. Callan and Roger would take the second, with Callan's mantra and Roger's sword skills to defend the flyer while he warned the others. The last watch would belong to Ace and Soul, with the greatest fighting ability, it would make us for their less than perfect mantra skills.
During the days, they would travel in two groups. Olivia would be paired with Callan, Soul, Cora and Musei. The swordsman and shipwright would provide defence if necessary, and Cora and Callan could cover them from a distance as Olivia alerted the others. Kuina would travel with Ace, Rachel, Roger, and Steel. The cook and swordswoman could hold off anyone without an ability with Steel covering them, and Ace could handle anything else, with Kuina free to notify the other group.
In addition, while traveling, he commanded that they take more time and fully scout each landing before going on to the next. He wanted them to be able to retrace their steps to a safe place immediately at any time, and that meant knowing if a place was safe before leaving it. Between Callan and Steel, it was quick work, and they only lost a few minutes each jump. At this rate, they would reach the city in three weeks or so.
He had assigned everyone partners for any fights that they found themselves in. He would fight with Soul. The twins would be together, and Steel would cover Cora, as well as anyone who needed him. Callan would act as lookout for Roger, using his mantra and zoan ability to swoop in and relay tactical information to the swordsman. Rachel and Musei would fight together, as the captain feared having her near Roger would be a distraction. They both agreed he was probably right.
The night watch rotated every day, allowing each pair to sleep two nights in a row between their turns. They traveled as much as the twins could handle, then immediately set up camp. There was no more walking, as Ace wanted as many people in top condition as possible at a given time. Their days went on with a much shorter cycle, usually six hours of jumping, followed by six hours of sleep. Meals were eaten quickly, or on the move. With this strategy, they reached the edge of the city in only two weeks.
From where they crouched, hidden by red stone boulders, they could see the statue of the third brother standing in the center of the city. The streets seemed empty, but there was clear evidence of a population. Through bad fortune, Callan had taken the most recent watch, and by the time his mantra noticed the group of men sneaking up behind them, it was too late to call out a warning.
Not my best chapter, but the rest should be better. There will be a plan, and enough material to fill the chapter. But you're not getting it till you review!
Read and Review, or you won't be seeing chapters 23, 24, 25, or 26.