Disclaimer: I own nothing. I gain nothing from this but personal satisfaction.
A/N: I have a lot of fun making chapter titles :) I'm pretty proud of this one and all the ones I've got coming up (to chapter 13 which is planned but not written cause I'm still finishing chapter 12)
Sorry for not really responding to reviews, I read each and every one of them. Thank you so much for the support :)
I hope you enjoy the chapter!
"Dey're lying," Darcy whispers to the crew under the cheers of people who are greeting the Straw Hat Pirates to the island. "Dey feel…" He winces at the emotions rolling off them. He's feeling sick from the sensation alone. Greed and bloodthirst, then there's some sadistic pleasure that goes too far.
The worst feeling is surprisingly apathy. They're going to try leading people into a honey trap and strike them while they're vulnerable. They aren't even being noticeably evil about it, treating it as if it is the norm and not problematic. It infuriates him as much as it worries him. If people of this world are like this… he looks at the crew.
Luffy and Usopp glance at him but brush his warning off. He doesn't know if they believe him or not. Zoro isn't surprised, he'd already seen it. How many times had he seen this behaviour? Nami internally relaxes, assured that others have noticed it too. Her calm settles something in him. Sanji blinks, momentarily distracted from the women onshore, but reconsiders the crowd. Disappointment fills him but he accepts the truth.
"Don't worry, Darcy," Usopp says with a supportive grin before adopting a flamboyant pose and replacing the smile with a smirk. "Did you know I once defeated an army with nothing but a couple of seeds and my trusty slingshot?"
…Darcy wishes he couldn't feel lies, because that would have been so cool if it was real. Gira hums in their knowing way. He hadn't been paying attention to the Distortion World so the Riolu doesn't know if they made that noise for his thoughts or something the others did.
'Let me out, Darcy. They'll probably let down their guard around an injured human more than whatever you are.' Aliahra tells him. Quite frankly, he doesn't want to. This whole thing feels like a trap. 'Darcy…'
He shakes his head - how can they protect her if they're not there? – but stops when he opens his eyes and sees the Straw Hats. Whether because they like Aliahra or are scared of Giratina, they would protect her this time. Besides, while they can't switch faster than a lightning bolt, this crowd couldn't act than one.
He glares up at Zoro. "Look afta 'er. Got it?"
Zoro nods, determination rolling off him. He knows he doesn't need to use words or even actions to communicate with the Riolu, although he does the latter anyway. Most likely for appearance's sake. That way he can keep the promise of not telling the others Darcy can feel their emotions. With a deep breath, he lets Aliahra switch to the front. A flush of embarrassment comes from the memory of the pinky promise. It's a good thing that being in the Distortion World means no one can hear his thoughts anymore.
He glances at Giratina after feeling a spark of amusement from them. Never mind, although he thought Telepathy is their altered forme's hidden ability. It shouldn't be possible while in their origin forme. He could feel that Giratina knows something he doesn't. He really doesn't like it. Curiosity is like a scratch you can't scratch. The simple denial makes it worse than it was before.
Darcy feels a little sympathy for Aliahra after that comparison. Not that he'll let her scratch her healing wounds. He's not a doctor but even he can tell it's a bad idea.
"So, how did you get such fearsome scars?" One of the people in the bar asks her, staring at her neck and collar bone. Probably where the bandages can't fit around her head to cover them all properly. Heads are a weird shape.
The questioner sits down on the couches' armrest with a pair of mugs. Zoro's sitting in the middle and with her sitting beside him it doesn't leave any room for anyone to sit next to her. She's certain that was the plan anyway. Not that it's stopped this person from finding a spot.
All of the Straw Hats are in the bar with them. Everything is here. Such as the food for Luffy and the drinks for Nami and Zoro. Some people come to listen to Usopp's stories, and some women come to flirt with and are flirted with in return by Sanji. From the looks of it, flirting seems to be complements and weird looks. Not something she's interested in trying herself.
Her Pokémon and Giratina say that's good and to keep that mindset. It's okay for Sanji to do that because he enjoys it and he isn't being disrespectful, and if she doesn't want to that's fine too. Still, it's another thing she either can't or won't do.
Aliahra… really has no idea what she can do here. It's a party, but there isn't really anything that interests her. She's not allowed to walk around, seeing as the bandages leave her with no depth perception. She nearly walked into several things just on the way in, and nearly into a lot of short people. Why are children so tiny?!
In her state, she isn't allowed to be left alone. Darcy's request and the Straw Hat's morals demand it. So, Zoro's the one sticking by her. He's the one who directly promised Darcy after all. Also, for all that Sanji is protective of women, there is no denying he's very distracted right now. All she feels she can do is watch Zoro drink mug after mug of that gross-smelling stuff - alcohol Gira tells her with a warning not to drink it - beating one after another in a competition of drinking.
She doesn't even have to keep count as other people are doing that. Although now someone has come up to her to try lowering her guard. He tries handing her a drink, but she just passes it over to Zoro. He drains it and adds it to the number.
Honestly, this stranger's attention is just raising her hackles. 'Do humans have hackles? What even are hackles?'
You… may not want to know the literal meaning. Gira is not a good distraction. It is bad manners to ignore a person when they talk to you.
She sighs at the information but looks over at the young man. He's putting a pleasant enough face on, but Darcy points out that the look in his eyes is a not harmless curiosity. There're a few others also looking at them, trying to profile the pirate in their trap not participating in the party.
"Lightning bolt." She admits begrudgingly. She traces up the bandages, feeling the sting when her fingers brush against the burns that couldn't be covered. "Hit me in the head and I'm still recovering. Haven't had the chance to see them actually." 'What does she look like?' She shrugs, throwing the thought off. "So yeah."
The younger man throws an arm behind her and leans towards her. Using the chair seat to get a small height advantage. She instinctively leans away. Not because of any intimidation, but because his breath stinks and he's not friendly under that veneer he wears. Her shoulder bumps into Zoro though he doesn't move from the impact. He's solid and immovable like Giratina. It's reassuring.
"Aww, I bet it was much more interesting than that. No one can just survive a lightning bolt. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" He winks, trying to charm her.
She really, really wants to punch this guy in the face. A rush of something flows through her, bolstering her physical strength. Sadly, she doesn't get the chance to. But she's not even mad, his face is hilarious. She grins at it.
A drop of blood drips down his neck, the entire bar goes silent. Zoro glares at the guy next to her. "She's a child. Back. Off."
"You're kidding me, right? She's like six feet! Sure, she's got a small chest but-." He cuts himself off as the blade pushes into his throat further.
A hand clamps onto the young man's shoulder; a burning cigarette between the fingers is held just under flammable hair. Sanji's presence is accompanied by the smell of smoke, a familiar and reassuring scent. "I don't believe you heard him." The hand is removed to bring the cigarette to Sanji's mouth. The sound of a durable shoe tapping a toe on the ground isn't considered as intimidating as it should. However, the look in the blond man's visible eye certainly makes up for it.
"Back off, Shithead." Sanji snarls. The sword against his throat shifts to press itself against the pulsing vein in his neck.
He will bleed out in seconds if Zoro cuts him there. Gira informs her. Because now is a good time for a lesson apparently. It is very dangerous if any of your arteries are cut.
The young man leaps away, running from the building. Everyone around them looks at them with terror. The party's over long before it should be. Aliahra looks out the window to see there's still a bit of light. Night hasn't even properly fallen yet.
"Shishishi, well, thanks for the meal. We can get going now, right Nami?" Luffy asks, standing up with an engorged stomach. He does something and it disappears. He's suddenly thin again. There are some gasps from the people around them. One person even exclaims that isn't how bodies work.
It's pretty obvious that's how Luffy works though so she ignores them. Giratina notices it and informs her that her body will not work like Luffy's. This information doesn't disappoint her yet.
The seemingly tipsy woman of a minute ago stands amidst this chaos as clear-headed as ever. Nami sighs but checks the log pose anyway. It hasn't settled. "Not yet, the mayor said the log pose will set during the night. It's barely dusk right now."
Usopp runs over to the group with realisation in his eyes and a faint tremble in his knees. But the grip on his slingshot is sure and it's already loaded. "Wait, so Darcy was right about how everyone was putting up a façade?" The eternal pessimist's shoulders fall in disappointment. "I really hoped this was real, but I can't say I'm too surprised."
Aliahra blinks at them. Trying to come to terms with everything that seems to be developing. It takes a little bit but then she flinches. She doesn't like it when her fun is interrupted, and she can't imagine they'd be fine with her ruining theirs.
"Sorry about ruining the party. You all seemed to be having fun." She utters as she stands, hunching to reduce her height. She's just taller than the majority of people here, but even that doesn't boost her confidence in the face of her nonchalant companions.
"It's not your fault, my lady," Sanji says to her. His comforting smile contrasts with burning eyes but Darcy doesn't speak up to say there's a problem with it. "It's that shithead's fault for trying to do what he did."
She smiles and stands up straight. Stretching causes her joints to let out some loud clicks that make some of the bounty hunters flinch and unnerve some others. Usopp asks in the background if swearing in front of her is something they should do and something about some specific veggies? She doesn't see how carrots, onions, and peppers relate to swearing. Although Sanji is a chef and that involves food, he also swears the most on this crew. There's likely a correlation there.
She leaves the pondering behind and puts it as a mystery to be solved later. There's something more important happening at the moment. One that isn't as much of a mystery to her.
Guns, swords and other miscellaneous weapons are brought out to show by the island's inhabitants. Aliahra swears she sees a water gun or something in the mix. She notes it as the most dangerous considering Zhaleh's power. The mayor walks in, resolve burning in his eyes. He holds up a bounty. It depicts their grinning captain and the sum on his head.
"Straw Hat Luffy, worth 30 million Beris. Your bounty will feed our town for quite a while." The mayor says. Aliahra wishes she was listening when he introduced himself. It's kind of weird not knowing his name.
Mr 8 Lv 15 appears over his head. Glancing around at the bounty hunters, all of them having Millions Grunt above their heads, none of them even reach level 10. Although the nun that just ripped off her clothes to reveal another outfit underneath along with some serious muscles is the only difference. Miss Monday Lv 11.
Nami and Usopp are both level 14, but they don't have the most damaging attacks. In a free-for-all against a crowd, they aren't going to be useless, but they don't have the innate strength or any attacks that can deal with multiple enemies. At least, none that she and her team know of. Giratina remains silent on the matter, unconcerned. They all take some strength and reassurance from that.
They probably feel that way because Zoro and Sanji are at Level 18, which surprises a few of her Pokémon, along with Luffy's level of 20. Such levels of strength compared to these opponents are really reassuring. Honestly, while there may be too many enemies to count right now. She really isn't panicked.
In fact, this could be a good time for some of that grinding Giratina told her about. 'Everyone, Levels.'
Niran's 15, Darcy and I are 14 and Zhaleh and Nico are at 13. Terra doesn't even hesitate. He's prepared for her.
I evolve next level, and I think I just need to defeat one more opponent to do so. Nico volunteers. The others don't even argue her right to fight, throwing their support behind her. Evolving is something they had not yet been reassured they can actually still do.
It should be noted that Zhaleh's a little put out though. Not that he says anything.
Nico is up in front and strikes out with a Wing Attack against the closest, biggest opponent in her range. Miss Monday's almost taken out in a single super-effective hit. The fight begins.
Usopp starts firing his assorted projectiles, Nami staying close to him. Both work together to keep themselves and each other safe against the onslaught. Luffy goes straight for the Bigwig, punching him straight out of the building and following. All to discover an even larger crowd outside who are geared up to fight. Sanji starts kicking any and all males in his area, yelling at Zoro whenever the swordsman takes down a female he deliberately misses.
They follow their captain into the bigger crowd outdoors, giving a nod of support back to them even as Nami and Usopp yell at them for leaving them undefended. As if they aren't holding their own or are even the main target inside the building.
Nico almost wishes she could just observe the chaos and laugh at the strangeness of the people she's travelling with. Although… an afterimage of hers is punched through effortlessly by brass knuckles. She does have her own fight to focus on.
She Double Teams for the sixth and final time. Maxing out her evasiveness. More afterimages pop up, a lot get shot by interlopers of the fight. They don't dissipate after getting hit but humans can use the process of elimination to figure out which one is her which some Pokémon are incapable of. To keep up her evasiveness, they're flying around and switching with her and each other. It forces the bounty hunters to lose track of the ones they know to be afterimages.
Combining Double Team with evasive manoeuvres is proving very effective, but it's hard to do so in an enclosed space. Maximising Evasiveness against human-led opponents may have been considered bad sportsmanship and akin to cheating in their matches back in Sinnoh, but they are pirates now. Why should she play fair anymore?
She finally finishes off Miss Monday with a Quick Attack, removing that little bit of remaining red health. As much as she'd like to keep toying with the woman, there's a swarm of Magikarp that'll taste better and be more filling than a single Goldeen. Zhaleh hums in agreement even as Niran whines and Terra sighs disappointed.
Herbivores. They never truly appreciate meat or fish. Darcy is strangely quiet for a carnivorously inclined omnivore. Then again, his sensibilities were always more human. Hatched from an egg in human hands, he never had to catch his own food in entire his life. She doesn't get a chance to mentally retort back at them or Darcy for his telling silence.
Nico grew to level 14. Nico is Evolving.
So, they can evolve. It's a relief even if it eliminated a potential reason why Darcy hadn't already.
Evolving in the middle of a fight has never happened before. The process has always waited until after the fight. But Nico can guess that the one-on-one fight against Miss Monday may have counted in this world. Especially as a message plays across her vision about money.
'Wait, where is this money?' Aliahra asks, just rolling with the fact that everyone else has stopped to see what was causing the harmless bright lights to blind them. Apparently, Evolution comes with a safety feature. Blind everyone in the vicinity. Nico does not want to evolve in front of a blind enemy.
Gira keeps losing it. Zhaleh answers her, also unbothered but at least he has a good reason for it.
I do not lose it! No one responds to indignant retort from the ancient deity known for their violence and temper. They're too busy laughing at everyone else's shocked expressions. Well, everyone who is still in the building. So, no Monster Trio and not the majority of the bounty hunters. They should also include all the downed unconscious enemies. There's not much at the moment but it should be mentioned.
Luckily for Usopp and Nami, she is their ally. Therefore, they are exempt from the terror of having her as an opponent. Everyone's attack drops as Nico's new ability, Intimidate, comes into effect. No longer only a foot tall and covered in slightly burnt but very fluffy feathers, the Staravia strikes an intimidating figure. It's made more effective by the sharp talons, sleek feathers, and the bloodthirsty and challenging gleam in her eyes.
A gleam that leaves no mistakes in her intentions to demolish the opponents in front of her and make them bleed. The Staraptor line was always the most savage regional bird.
She leaves afterimages behind and around her as she slams a more durable wing into an opponent's neck, noticeably faster than before. A jump from a base speed of 60 to 80 would do that to anyone. Her target drops to the ground unconscious after a single hit, giving her a pitiful amount of experience points along with the finishing message.
Everyone continues to face her, bewildered faces starting to lose their charm. They're making for poor entertainment like this. "Are you all going to keep staring while I pick you off one by one? Shame, though I guess I shouldn't have expected that much from mere Millions."
She doesn't really know what being a Million meant but considering how far the numbers are from the 8 and 9 that their stronger friends are, it means something. It also is clear she's offended them, as the majority puff up in anger and point their weapons at her, enraged. The previous attack drop they got from Intimidate was cancelled out as their attack rose sharply, raising stages in one go. Although they do all look confused about how a bird is talking smack to them.
Congratulations Nico, you have just used Swagger without ever having known the move in the past or present. Someone, you even managed to use it on multiple people when it is supposed to be a single target move. I must commend you on your use of the move. Nico doesn't appreciate the proud tone in Gira's voice at her accomplishment. Even with maximised evasion and a newly boosted baseline of durability and health, there are at least a dozen people who really want to hurt her right now.
Although when one does leap forward to strike at her, he ends up smashing himself in the face when he trips over a chair he really should have noticed. Right, people can end up hurting themselves in confusion.
One's sniped and another is knocked out by her two allies. Usopp and Nami reach level 15. Well, it seems she's not the only one who can level up in battle.
Almost everyone tries attacking her, the few that don't are either evaded by Nami and Usopp or manage to hit but cause barely any damage, the weaklings. About ninety per cent of the attacks against her miss, a few bullets clip her and two swords slice through a few of her recently restored to pristine condition feathers. She watches a feather fall and slams a wing into the person responsible for that single feather in the gut. She falls into a heap which gives Nico a little more experience.
A good percentage have hurt themselves in confusion while another smaller percentage has, unfortunately, broken out of the confusion, getting the attack boost practically free of charge. She focuses on targeting those ones. Nami and Usopp aren't able to see when a stat is boosted or hindered.
Two-thirds of her health remains. With her physical defence almost doubled from her evolution, the strikes haven't dealt much damage. Oh, this is going to be fun.
She's a conscious but bleeding and bruised heap at the end of the fight. Aliahra had managed to notice some strikes that she wouldn't have dodged without the warning. But she's level 15 with Niran now and sitting atop a pile of unconscious bodies, triumphant.
Nami is walking around pilfering anything of wealth around them and Usopp is resting on an overturned couch no one could be bothered to right up. The sounds of the battle continue outside but it's dying down as the number of opponents steadily decrease. Even though Zhaleh wants to join the fight, it'd be over before he reached it. She flies over to the long-nosed sniper and lands on him, preening her feathers and letting the useless ones fall on him.
"If this happens with every battle, I'm going to riot." She mutters, Usopp looks up at her. She doesn't need to be able to feel emotions like Darcy to know he's a bit scared of her. Although it is a toss-up on if Intimidate is to blame or something else. Or it could be both, that is a valid option.
A feather falls under his nose and he sneezes. Luckily for him, he has enough sense to turn his face away. If he got snot on her feathers…
"Huh," he says then he asks "hey, do you use those feathers afterwards?"
"No, you can have the bad ones. I need to create a nest and I'm planning on using only the good ones in it." She says and dumps another on his face. He grabs it and starts collecting the discarded feathers in reach.
"If you're going to make it in my tangerine trees, you'll be paying rent." Nami says, coming over with some bags of money. "Now get up, there's got to be more cash hidden in other houses and I need some extra arms to help with carrying everything."
Nico does not want to be her carrier pidgey. Good thing she's got someone who does want to carry heavy bags and actually has the strength and energy for it.
"Shotgun!" Darcy yells, suddenly in front. "Let's go!" He jumps off Usopp's chest and starts running outside. He waits, hopping from leg to leg, while Usopp is directed to carry everything Nami found in the bar to Merry.
The unconscious bodies outside don't all carry money on their person, most are found hidden in caches around the town. Nami has an eye for spotting them when invested in doing so. Eventually, though, they find the last stragglers of the Monster Trio's path of destruction. It takes a pittance of effort for Darcy to knock out the largely Dark-type survivors.
The discipline of Fighting-type moves supersedes the underhanded tactics of Dark-types.
Although he can't speak ill of the type in general after he kicks the already unconscious Mr 9 for Nico again. As dark as the act might be, he's got to live with the slighted bird who is super effective against him. Honour may have a big role for his type, but he's not stupid enough to go full 'honour before reason' and disregard his survival instincts.
He likes living, thank you.
Darcy just can't wait to be part Steel-type again though. Then he won't be weak to Flying again. Honestly, Steel resists so many types, it's the best.
Actually- Giratina begins.
'Oh fuck no, ya've gotta be shittin' me. The type match-ups changed?!' Darcy mentally yells.
It is different from what you know. Technically, you never properly knew it. They correct. Also, watch your language, Darcy.
He wants to punch something. No one's conscious but Nami has just uncovered a safe. It makes a great target for the frustrations he feels. The navigator gives him a look that conveys his own frustration back at him, he reminds himself to leash in the waves he naturally emanates. Feedback loops suck. It's good he's able to catch himself before she actually starts getting irritated herself.
Nami sighs dramatically, putting the riches she wants into the now full bag and discarding the items that clearly only have sentimental worth.
"Take that back to the ship and put it in mine and Aliahra's room." She instructs with her hands firmly on her hips. "Don't even think about looking through my stuff while you're in there."
Darcy gives her a deadpan stare, silently agreeing with his siblings' question on why would they do that and the comments wondering why she thinks they would. Gira remains strangely quiet. No amount of prodding, verbal or physical, made them speak up on why. Because they all know that they know.
-Gira, Gira, Gira, Gira-Gira, Gira, Gira, Gira-'Gira, Gira, Gira, Gira'-
He could do without the chanting though. At least Terra and Zhaleh aren't joining in. Though in the latter's case, it's because he's too busy laughing to do so.
-Gira, Gira, Gira, Gira-
'Nevamind.' He mentally bemoans. Ignoring the fact that he would be joining in if he could feel the others' curiosity too. Even with Terra trying to send his own waves of amusement and calm, he does get very irritated pretty quickly.
Miss Wednesday flies by him on the road, astride a yellow Ducklett-like creature - super spot-billed duck – and emanating both terror and determination. The Super Spot-Billed Duck, a long name, is really fast. If he was a Lucario again, maybe he could have kept up with it. If he had his levels back, then he's sure he could beat it.
Especially if he had Extreme Speed.
Unfortunately for Miss Wednesday, Ponyta's or maybe it was Rapidash's in this case, are very competitive when it comes to a race and any implied challenge to their innate speed. Anything moving fast enough will get challenged by one.
Darcy finds himself back in the Distortion World with a bag of riches while Niran impulsively chases down the Duck. There, a much better name. It's not too long.
"Well, it seems we shall not have to worry about Held Items going missing in the future." Giratina muses amidst the still continuing chants. Admirably, Niran keeps up his chants in his thoughts too. Even while distracted by a fast thing.
Darcy looks at the bag of riches then back at the Devil. "'ow da fuck is dis a 'eld I'em?"
"Language, Darcy." They began, "Staryu's can be caught holding bags of stardust. I do not see how this is much different."
He surrenders the point because it covers every argument to the contrary he had.
"What's a Held Item?" Aliahra asks from her place on Gira's back. And they try to be intimidating, really.
"A Held Item is an item that a Pokémon holds that can aid them in battle. Each Item has different effects and different tactics can be used in conjunction with them." They say. "Darcy used to favour a Fighting Plate before giving it to Nico for her to use. He then used a Dragon Fang afterwards. Those Items passively increased the damage of Moves of their associated type."
Darcy sighs but moves to help Aliahra concentrate on Giratina's lecture. This is something she needs to know, and it wouldn't hurt for him to actually learn it too.
The spot-billed super duck, whatever it's actually called, is fast. There's no denying it. But while Niran is in his base form and hasn't evolved into a Rapidash yet, Ponyta's are still fast.
He's as fast as Giratina is, and they're a flipping Legendary Pokémon with insane stats. He's faster than everyone else on his team or crew. Terra and Zhaleh will never be as fast as he is now. It'll take Nico and Darcy getting to their final evolutions to match or surpass his current form's speed. Sure, they evolve sooner than he does, and they'll all be at their full power for a good while before he achieves his final evolution, but once he's a Rapidash he'll forever be faster than them.
In the meantime, though, his base form is strong. One of, if not the, strongest base forms of all Pokémon that can evolve.
Excluding Zhaleh, who's already at his final evolution. He has the same amount of health as the others, but he's got the strongest defences at the moment excluding Terra's physical defence but he's a Turtwig. They and their evolutions are built for defence. Niran's also currently the hardest hitter and the swiftest runner.
He keeps that title until the others finish evolving too. Even then though, Lucario and Ponyta have the same speed. He won't be too far behind.
Niran overtakes the duck and doubles back to face it and its rider. It skids to a stop and sheer terror grows on both their faces.
He grins at the sight but grows confused when he looks at the labels about their heads.
Nefertari Vivi Lv 12 and Carue Lv 10 stares at him. Not Miss Wednesday or Super Spot-billed Duck. One has a different name and the other actually has a name. Something is amiss here and Giratina is too concerned with Aliahra's education to help. Shame that Terra, Nico and Zhaleh also don't know what's going on either.
Niran decides not to attack and gets out of his battle pose.
While he isn't in an aggressive pose anymore, the two aren't suddenly calmed. They don't even try to run. Although he supposes he's already made it clear he's faster than them both. Either they attack first, kick-starting his self-preservation instincts which against these two will tell him to fight, or something else happens.
That something else is a lovestruck Sanji arriving and announcing he'll protect the princess with his life. Because apparently princesses are real, and this blue-haired bounty hunter is one. One that Sanji will be protecting. Weird around females he may be, but Sanji took protecting his crew seriously. Whether it was by cooking them the best meals they needed or fighting his way through a crowd with minimal backup, he did so.
Sanji must have a reason. Niran decides to trust him. Though he still asks because the others will be and are curious. Besides, if they're protecting Vivi then there's something to protect her from. Niran figures he should know who their enemies are.
"What's going on?" He asks, trying to remember his own steps just in case he'll have to find Nami. Although Nico would be best suited there, bird's eye view and everything. She snorts at that.
"This is Princess Nefertari Vivi of Alabasta, her country is on the verge of a Civil War because of Baroque Works. She infiltrated the organisation to find out the person behind it and succeeded, but they've found out and are trying to assassinate her." He says. "We promised Igaram to protect her highness and help get her to Alabasta.
Niran freezes. "Assassinate means kill, right?" He doesn't like the tremble in his voice or the impulse to run the hell away from here. His anxiety is obvious, and the cook uses one of his precious hands to pat him. Going through his mane which is made out of potentially dangerous fire.
Sanji doesn't use his hands to fight for a reason and while Aliahra never got to explain why before she forgot, he knows it's valid. She didn't think it was stupid too, so it is a good reason why Sanji never puts his hands at risk.
That didn't stop him from thrusting one of them into a burning fire on the assumption that Niran wouldn't burn him.
"Yes, it does." He's not sugar-coating it but he's trying. He nuzzles into the hand that feeds him. The thought brightens his mood a little.
"He- you sound so young." Miss Wednesday says, cautiously. Although he should call her Vivi now, shouldn't he?
"Hey, I'm the second oldest out of my siblings!" He pouts, stomping a hoof.
Sanji grins at him, but he's clearly prepared for any battle at the moment. They don't know when or how these assassins are going to attack. Niran shifts into a battle pose himself though he doesn't flare his mane like he usually would.
"I'm three! And I'll be four soonish. Sooner than Terra or Nico, they're three too." He boasts. "Zhaleh's the oldest at five but Darcy's still less than a year old. Huh, I wonder when his birthday is. I'll have to ask Gira when we're back on Merry."
While Sanji's shocked at his age, and apparently the age of all his siblings, he takes the suggestion to get to home base and manages to get Miss Vivi – he's improving – to follow them back. She does but it takes distracting her with trying to figure out his and his sibling's birthdays to do so.
There were a few of them born in spring, that they can remember. Carue says that's normal for animals. Niran doesn't know what he means by that.
I will explain it later. Says Giratina, so he doesn't ask for clarification from the humans and Duck.
"You can understand Carue?" Vivi looks intrigued. Her stare is fixed on her mount, curiosity at the potential prospect of knowing his exact words. Niran can see the two can communicate without words easily enough but he remembers the days Darcy played translator for them after he evolved.
It was nice, finally knowing the words of encouragement and comfort she'd say in battle.
"Tell her that she is the bravest person I know, and I'm honoured to be serving her." Vivi isn't the only one who realised the potential Niran has at playing translator.
He repeats Carue's words and grins at the effect those words have. Sanji smiles at the happiness and affection Vivi displays. But the moment wasn't meant to last.
"There you are." They all turn to face the origin of the masculine voice.
Standing in their path is a man with a white five on his long maroon jacket. Niran looks up to see a woman dressed in yellow with a parasol standing up on the roof of a three-story building, she gives him a smirk when she sees he notices her. There's no one else, and while he knows Vivi and Carue can fight, they're not on the right level to participate.
You are being challenged by Baroque Works' Officer Agents, Mr 5 Lv 18 and Miss Valentine Lv 17.
At least Sanji's at a higher level than Mr 5 now. Niran may be a lower level than Miss Valentine, he's got no doubt that he's faster. He grins and leaps up at her with a Flame Charge. Her face, when she realises that he can reach her, is glorious. People in this world have the best reactions, he can see why Nico and Zhaleh keep on striving to get them.
The fight's on.
I've found out recently that Karoo is a desert which makes so much sense as Vivi's duck's name, but the fandom mostly writes his name as Carue, and I don't actually know why?