Surprise! Here's an early chapter reveal, off-schedule, as my birthday gift to you all! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter-was trying to go for a more wholesome vibe! (You let me know if I did it or not) As an extra bonus, on my IG page associated with my account (check for IG handle in my bio), you can find out some of the scenes here sketched out! Please bear with my drawing and paneling as it is definitely not professional, nor do I really know what I'm doing :P. Though hope you do enjoy! :))

As always R&R


Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, just the OC(s)


Chapter 20

Bright light of all colours illuminated the night sky while souls in song and dance filled the air, and the smell of sweets and spices filled the crowded streets. "What is all this?" Charlotte questioned, voice airy and mouth pulled to the edges of her face. Platinum eyes wide with wonder as she watched the colourful and lively stalls filled with laughter and people.

"It's a festival!" Shachi explained while the Heart Pirates watched her genuine excitement and curiosity with surprise. Her eyes were sparkling and full of wonder that they often didn't see on the woman.

"For someone who didn't want off the submarine, ya seem oddly excited about a damn festival." Cole grumbled, though there was a slight tease in his voice. Charlotte had been adamant about staying aboard the submarine to search for her heart knowing that the group would be somewhere on land until Law challenged her about leaving her hunt unattended. Though at this point, they weren't sure if she was paying attention to her target. Her eyes glued to everything else around her instead.

Charlotte turned back to the group and Cole flinched, expecting another fight. "What's a festival?" She asked instead.

The Hearts stopped in their tracks and all gazes turned back to the huntress in shock. "You've never been to a festival?" They cried as if it was a crime.

Charlotte nodded.

"Have ya been livin' under a rock? How have ya never been to one?" Cole snapped and Charlotte crossed her arms across her chest, jerking her chin away. "Is there something wrong with that?" She eyed the other, challengingly.

Law ignored the verbal argument between the two, his eyes narrowing on the huntress whose attention kept slipping towards the many stalls around them. She really wasn't lying when she said she's never been. Genuine wonder lit her face and her desire to try out this thing called a 'festival' was clear in her eyes. It was the same kind of look she wore when she first saw snow. How odd to have so many first for someone her age.

Penguin elbowed Law and the taller male quirked a brow at the action. He sighed at the look on Penguin's face. "We're not here to play…" He turned back towards the huntress and her wandering eyes. "But we can afford to have some fun." He hid a smile under the shadow of his hat at the way her face lit up.

"Yosha!" Shachi and Penguin cheered loudly. They turned towards the surprised huntress. "You're going to have the best first festival ever!" They promised and despite knowing better, Charlotte couldn't help the way her eyes sparkled even more as the two started ranting off on things to do. It sounded like fun.

"But first, yukatas!" The two mechanics announced after scanning up and down the huntress in her usual wardrobe. The boiler suit long forgotten after she realized that being a crewmember didn't mean she had to wear it. Before Charlotte could ask what a yukuta was, both males hooked one of her arms in hers and ran off, dragging her to the nearest yukata shop.

"Eh? Wait! But my target!" Charlotte shouted, one gloved hand reaching out towards where Law and Cole remained still standing and watching as Charlotte gets herded off.

"Yeah, yeah, coming." Law reassured with a sigh when the huntress started struggling against their hold. He literally just said to avoid trouble and here the attention-hating huntress was drawing a crowd by throwing off her crew members off her. Her moves ceased when Law got closer, and he scoffed lightly at how simple she was. He froze when she shot him a beaming smile. What was that for? He thought quizzically, a hand covering his slightly reddening face. The message in that smile clear. Thanks! Now she didn't have to worry.

"Ya alright, Cap't?" Cole questioned when the other stopped. "If you keep standing there, the Annoying Witch will get more annoying again." He warned before following the others into the clothes shop. The more troublesome the witch gets was proportional to her distance from their captain.

After dressing to fit in with the festivities, the Heart Pirates took on the responsibility to show Charlotte what a festival was about. Shachi swapped into a green and pale grey striped yukata while Penguin wore a solid dark blue one. Cole wore an orange yukata and had his sleeves rolled up and tied to the back with a white band. Law settled for a dark black yukata with slight gold embellishment. Nothing too fancy like Charlotte's rich violet one with simplistic floral design on it. Their regular clothes folded in the bags hanging off their arms. Though their signature items remained where they normally were except for Charlotte who used her scarf in place of the obi they had provided.

They stopped by the food stalls first and Shachi quickly promised the huntress the most delicious street food ever, which she was disappointed slightly that it wasn't bread. But she ate the new foods happily and with curious zeal, nevertheless. Between bites of food, they shopped through some of the booths, purchasing mask and fans and other small trinkets, and participated in a few games that almost led to a few fights and a bit of a show-off competition between the males.

She jumped in between the two, arms looped around the two mechanics shoulders and they immediately at her face next to theirs. "Hey, let me try!" She beamed and the two grinned at the large smile on her face. They passed her the Y-shaped slingshot and retold the rules of the game to her. Law watched the huntress from the corner of his eyes. The smile on her face looked far more fitting on her than off. It fell slightly when her move missed, and Law found himself chuckling at her frustrated look and then the snappy remark she gave Cole when he stepped in to "show how it was done." She really was getting along with everyone.

He quirked a brow when he noticed her gaze pulling away. Following her gaze, he spotted a goldfish in a water bag dangling off another female's wrist. "Do you want one?" He asked noncommittally and immediately jerked back at how fast her head snapped towards him, eyes wide and pleading.

"I can get one?" She all but breathed.

Shachi threw an arm over Charlotte's shoulder as he leaned into their conversation. "Oh, there's a game to play to get those!" He explained and Charlotte spun to the other quickly, eyes shining, "WHERE?!"

"For a hunter, you sure suck at catching things." Cole commented with a snicker when the net broke once again, and the round fish scurried away. Charlotte shot the man a glare and whipped out another paper net, eyes twinkling with resolve and promise that this time she'll get it for sure. Cole responded with a shit-eating grin. "Last one."

The three pirates balked when Charlotte turned back towards the small fishpond, platinum eyes immediately locking onto the same fish that she had been targeting the entire time. "Ah, maybe, try a different fish." Shachi advised quickly. The fish that Charlotte had been trying to go after was the biggest, and fattest fish in the pond. The thing easily outsized and outweighed the flimsy net that she was using. They were pretty sure even if there was no water to break the net, the pure weight and size of the fish itself would tear it apart.

Charlotte shook her head stubbornly. "Just look at it!" She pointed to the round ball of a fish that looked like it was drowning in water. "Isn't it just adorable?" The three blanched at her reaction, wondering how.

Law watched the group try to dissuade the stubborn huntress to another fish, one of the smaller fishes that would be possible to catch to on avail. His eyes focused on the way her lips curved into a smile as she spoke and the way her face seemed to be lit up. It was very unlike her usual cautious gaze. For once her guard was down around them and she seemed to genuinely enjoy their times together. They called me their friends. His lips twitched up, remembering the stubborn pout on her face as she went off to find the remedial core on their behalf. Indeed, they were.

"Ah!" Law's attention was pulled back to the present at the cry. "It's wet already!" His lips followed hers, tugging down when the glow on her face dimmed. A snicker from the game stand owner drew Law's attention away to the grinning male who look more than happy to have gotten such a sucker, and Law clicked his tongue, oddly irritated. "Just got for it! It's now or never!" At Penguin's encouragement, Law shifted his hand slightly, quietly extending his room. Tact.

Charlotte's eyes grew wide, and she refused to blink in case it was all an illusion until her eyes dried and she was force to close them. But when the image of the suffocating fish remained caught—physically stuck in the net that was too small for its size—didn't fade away, Charlotte knew it was true.

"I CAUGHT IT!" She cheered loudly. She spun around quickly on her heels, pulling the net and the poor fish along to face the Heart Pirates. "Look! I caught it!" She held the net out as if she was in a show and tell class. Eyes sparkling. The others laughed at her reaction and sparkling eyes. Happy for her. Penguin clapped their captain's shoulder quietly and Law kept his gaze forward on the sparkling woman with a large smile. "Mission accomplished, Captain."

Or it would have been. The struggling fish slipped out of the net, startling Charlotte. "Ah, watch out!" Law's warning came too late, and Charlotte collide against a large longarm member. "Our bad!" Shachi quickly excused in place of the frozen huntress staring wide-eyed at the floor. The fish landing back into the fishpond.

It burned! The realization hit Charlotte hard. She had been too lax; she'd forgotten about her surroundings. At the thought, her Haki stretched out around her instantly in full force. A mistake. Several hundred souls popped into her mind's eye almost immediately and Charlotte reeled back. "…ey, are you alright?" She heard a voice beside her call and her eyes fluttered opened, breath uneven. She stared at her hand gripping at Law's yukata collar for support in surprise. An equally surprised look on his face.

"Y-yeah…" Charlotte muttered, pulling her hand back slowly. "T-There's a lot of people is all."

"Did you use Haki?" Law asked, and the pirates exchanged worried glances. Were there drawbacks to Haki?

Charlotte drew her hand back from Law, cradling it to her chest, while her eyes darted left and right, eyeing the people around her suspiciously. "Oi, ca…" There aren't just civilians in the mix. She spotted different races too with differing strengths. "…ar me?" Charlotte frowned. When were we surrounded?

"Hunter-ya!" Charlotte's attention focused on the steel grey eyes boring into her. His brows knotted together in worry and his lips pulled not a slight frown. His hands pressed against her bare forearms, holding her steady. "I'm asking you—"

Burns! Charlotte shoved Law away from her quickly, crashing into another couple in the crowd who shot strange glances at them. The Heart Pirates stared at her shocked. "C-Charlotte? Is everything okay?" Shachi and Penguin questioned the panting girl glaring daggers at their captain, unsure whether to protect her or their captain.

"What the hell, Crazy! Capt'n just worried about ya!" Cole snapped, stomping up towards the huntress, who didn't even as much at twitched in response.

Calculative gray eyes watched the huntress strange behaviours—her gaze, cautious again, and hands ghosting over her forearms protectively as if the area was burned. Law's gaze dropped to his own hands. The place where she was protecting was the same place he had touched earlier.

"T-the game…" Charlotte stuttered suddenly. "Let's go play some more games!" With that she darted off, pulling Shachi and Penguin with her as she ran.

"Da hell. Somethin' wrong with her. I tell ya, Capt'n. She's crazy!" Cole muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Law watched her hands wrapped around each of their wrists. She seemed fine with physical contact. Law stilled. Was it because I touched her? He shoved his hands into his pockets at the thought, a frown settling on his face as he followed the others. Or tried to.

"What's up, Cole-ya?" He asked, eyes dropping from the hand stopping him and towards his subordinate. At the male's stare, he frowned, following the same gaze to the same white long jackets trimmed in blue. Shit. There were marines here. "We need to go." They were too lax.

"What about the others?"

"We'll meet up with them. They know not to draw attention to themselves."

Charlotte's eyes perked up at the large crowd gathering on the far side. "Oh, we haven't been there yet." She said eagerly while tugging their arms like a child asking for permission.

The two with her shared a worried glance. They've been separated from their Captain and Cole. "Aren't you tired of playing yet, Charlotte?" Shachi eased into it. They were certain that the huntress knew her target wasn't with the anymore. The fact that she hadn't said anything about it despite being so clingy previously was worrying them. That and the fact that they still didn't know what upset her earlier.

"… nope." Charlotte responded stubbornly. Eyes focused out before her, while her mind wandered back to the fact that she had left her target. Unattended. Willingly. Her hands busied to tug on her leather gloves, covering over her exposed arms. The place where his hands touched still hot. It's okay. I have his ability. I can shamble him to me. She tried to reassure herself, despite knowing that they were probably outside of the range of the Room she could create.

The two sighed at her rebuttal. They weren't going to get their way. At least they were with the more worrisome individual. Their captain was good at keeping quiet and not drawing attention to himself. Unlike a certain huntress, even in disguise, who knows what she'd do.

"What are marines doing at a sport festival?" Law spoke through his mask towards the other. The mask they had purchased earlier now strapped to their faces. They weren't able to find the others and were now banking on Charlotte's habit of never leaving her target to reunite them. Except she hadn't shown herself either. Unpredictable variable. "It doesn't look like they're here for pleasure."

Cole nodded and his frown worsened the longer he glanced at the game stalls around them. Something about them was bothering him. Each game booth had its own little crowd and within it was one or two marine officers with a clipboard. A wrestling match between a Longarm tribe member and a Longleg tribe member that looked a bit more personal than just a regular sparing match. A shooting game to their left with loose regulations on fair artillery given how some players had rifles or modified guns while others had a flintlock in each hand. Another booth held the identical flintlocks and pistols with the players dissemble and reassemble them as quickly as possible. It all seemed so familiar.

The gun to the side went off. A man scoring a bullseye and he thrusted a hand into the air. In response the white coats watching the game scribbled down a few notes. They grinned and made their way to the male, congratulating him.

"Shit." Cole cussed and the bad familiar feeling in his stomach finally dropped. He finally realized why it all looked so familiar. "We need to stop the others from playing anymore games!"

Law turned to the perplexed. Playing games at a festival was normal. "Why?"

"Because we're not at a festival." Cole grunted, snapping his head around. Damn it woman! Weren't ya gonna keep an eye on your target?! He hissed, never thinking he'd curse her for not being diligent in her hunt. "This isn't a festival, it's the annual marine scouting event where skilled fighters from all backgrounds get to show off their skills in hopes of fast tracking through marine ranks." Cole explained and Law tensed immediately.

"The games?"

"Are performances to show off skills." Cole finished. The wresting match was a match of strength. The shooting game, one for accuracy. The assembly one. Speed. "If they play, they'll catch the attention of the Marines in the crowd!" For once their skills were going to be their down fault.

Cole gripped his fist around his hidden gun tighter. "Sorry, Capt. I should have noticed earlier. Being ex-marine." He muttered grimly. If their cover is blown because he didn't pick up fast enough and the others are put at danger. Then it was all on him.

"No, you did well in letting me know." Law reassured, clasping a hand over his shoulder. His long nodachi already perked on his shoulder. Now that it was known to not draw attention to be carrying weapons. Law felt a lot more comfortable with the blade than without it when they were surrounded by marines. "We just need to find the others before the Marine does." Luckily, Shachi and Penguin were smart enough to know not to draw attention and Charlotte dislikes being in the center of it so they should have some time.

"Unless you're saying you're also can't do something as easy as that." Shachi and Penguin stepped forward immediately at the taunt, sleeves already rolled back. A scowl on their face and their pride wounded. "Explain the game."

"Are you sure you guys are up for it? This one's for the Skilled." At the jeer the two shot him, the gamekeeper grinned, and with one unnaturally long arm he motioned to the several weapons laid out in front of the booth. The weapons ranged from swords to guns to spears and bows and arrows. "Once you pick a weapon, the goal is to strike down all the targets that pop up. However not all targets are attack targets. If you strike down a target with a happy face or bomb, it's game over!" The man explained holding up three paddles in his other hand. Each marked in the center with something different: the word 'attack', a happy face, and an image of a bomb.

His large grin suddenly curled downwards, and a look of pure boredom and disappointment filled his eyes. "Ah, but this is boring." He sighed dramatically, eyes landings on the female with them. "Let's make this more interesting." That was the only warning he gave before his grabbed the Charlotte and planted her on the far end of the ever-long deep booth. He handed her a large round metal orb to hold and made his way back to the starting point. "There we go more interesting! We'll do this as damsel in distress style!" He declared.

Charlotte quirked a brow at the comment. Am I supposed to be the damsel in distress? How? I'm just standing here. She wasn't strapped down or anything. She could literally just walk away.

"The thing your friend is holding is a bomb. It'll explode if you hit any of the wrong targets!" Their eyes widened. "Don't even bother. Once the person touches the bomb, they're unable to let go of it until I say so." The gamekeeper laughed and the two scowls deepened as they watched over his shoulder at the huntress trying to fling the bomb off her, unsuccessfully. "So, what do you say, ready to begin yet?" The keeper asked, picked at his ear, nonchalantly. "You haven't picked your weapons yet?" He yawned, stopping by a giant red button.

"Charlotte, we got you! Promise!" They shouted from the other end of the few hundred-meter-long booth. The two returned their attention towards the gamekeeper. "All of them. We'll clear this stupid game with every weapon you got."

At the bold declaration, a few heads had turned over in their direction and the game keeper whistled. "I'll believe it when I see it." Pressing onto the red button

At the loud siren, Charlotte's attention shifted from the sticky bomb towards the others at the other end. Did they say something? She hadn't been paying attention after realizing her hands were stuck. Her gaze narrowed, eyes calculative, at the sound of the first gunshot. She realized she hadn't seen them really fight yet. She paused. She didn't know anything about the Heart Pirates.

The first target shattered from the shot. A smoking rifle in Shachi's hands, who was standing back at the starting line. Penguin a few steps further up, slicing up the targets popping up left and right with a samurai sword. In his other hand and hanging off his sash as several other weapons that he picked up from the starting line. Penguin sheathed the sword a few cuts later and held his palm up. A wooden hammer landed in the palm a second later from where Shachi had tossed it to him from his spot behind the starting point. He swapped his gun for a crossbow. The arrow was already soaring into the air.

"Penguin!" Charlotte cried out when she realized the direction it was flying. "Hey, isn't this game too dangerous to have two going at it at the same time?" Charlotte rounded on the gamekeeper now next to her. He only shrugged causally back at her, a grin on his face. "They're the one who went off together." Charlotte frowned at the lackadaisical response and turned back towards the two now gathering a fair crowd themselves.

Penguin smashed the wooden hammer into another target, squatting low as he did so. Just in time to dodge the incoming arrow as it struck center middle of the target that had flung out where Penguin's head was just seconds ago.

Shachi caught up next to Penguin and picked up the long spear strapped to the other's back with ease. He quickly speared two targets while throwing the rifle he used at the beginning to Penguin who was laying on the ground. Penguin quickly fired a round at the target that flipped up back at the starting line. A target that most would have missed.

Shachi clasp hands with Penguin, hoisting him up in time to avoid the happy face target that popped up where Penguin was laying earlier. The wooden target would have snapped in half had it hit Penguin. Penguin followed the movement, rolling over Shachi's back as they exchanged weapons again.

"Oh, that would have been close, Dearie." Charlotte quirked a brow at the other's strange comment but kept her focus on the display of skills before her. Eyes wide and brain working overtime. Their teamwork second to none and their knowledge in the several different weapons were nothing short of a bluff. The two finished the final two targets at the end of the pathway with a kick and a punch, showing off their marital arts skills. The several weapons they had used earlier laid out in a trail behind them.

The two turned and held their hands, palm up to Charlotte, panting slightly. "You okay, Charlotte?" They asked but before the huntress could responded, the crowd cheered loudly. The two jumped at the noise.

"Both of them were constantly aware of each position and movement the whole time." In other words, Haki. Charlotte thought silently, updating her previous assessment of their skills with the latest display. Though it seems like it's limited only to each other.

The game keeper's attention darted to the lady beside him, the aura around her different now. Her platinum eyes focused, and brows knotted together in thought. Her lips shifted slightly as she muttered silently to herself. "Ah! Where did the bomb go?" At the outcry, the game keeper realized that the bomb he had told her to hold was no longer in her hands. But he hadn't undo the stickiness to allow her to take it off. He glanced around trying to find the orb. "Oh, it was heavy, so I got rid of it. It was a bomb?" He blanched at the nonchalant response. Just who were these people? He hadn't even noticed when the female moved.

Law's ability side is convenient. She thought. A pebble on the ground between her hands.

"Anyway, what did you think, Charlotte?" Penguin asked with a proud grin as he neared. Shachi leaning on his shoulder, a sly grin on his face as well. "Falling in love with us, yet?" He asked, gesturing to the defeated track behind them.

"Why would I?" She asked and the two deflated easily.

"Where did the game keeper go?" Shachi asked and Charlotte glanced around and shrugged. "He was just here…" Penguin helped himself to one of the many plushies hanging off the side of the booth as his prize, declaring his actions loudly just in case. He plopped the round puffer fish plushie in Charlotte's arms, and Charlotte glanced up at them curiously. "What's this for?" She asked while they left the booth.

"You wanted a fish, right?" They explained easily with a smile. "It's not the same, but hopefully it'll do?" Charlotte blinked and then ducked behind the large plushie. Her face pink. Shachi raised a brow at the motion. "Is it to heavy?" He asked and Penguin turned around to glance back at her. He was certain that this one looked the most similar to the fish that Charlotte was trying to catch earlier. "You don't like it?"

Charlotte shook her head and the two jumped nervously. Penguin quickly tried to reassure her that they'll get her something else instead while Shachi's head snapped left and right to try to find another game booth with sea creature prizes. Charlotte raised her hands from around the round doll, only to realize that they couldn't quite see it underneath the plushie. "No, that's not it." Charlotte said with a soft laugh. "I like it. A lot…. Thank you." She corrected, holding the plushie further away from her face. The blush present on her face.

She's embarrassed! The two realized, fawning.

"Ah, nothing like protecting a beautiful lady to fuel the strength of young males." Another voice interrupted, and their faces immediately hardened at the telltale uniforms they adorned. Why the hell are there marines here? They thought unanimously. The game master stood behind the two of the marines. Was our cover blown?

"And what makes you think I need protection?" Charlotte shot back, chipped. Her leather-bound arms crossed and platinum eyes glinting with a promise of pain. The woman with pink hair parted in the middle glanced towards the taller male as if waiting for him to respond. He didn't. Charlotte shoved the pufferfish towards Penguin. "Hold Spikey for a moment." She said, stepping forward much to the other's dismay. Her gaze shifted towards the younger female when she stepped forward too.

"Oh, looks like someone's challenging you, Commander." The other said with mirth in her voice. She took a drag of her cigarette, eyes turning serious. "You think you can win against Commander T-Bone?" She asked, pointing towards male who looked like the living corpse on the Straw Hat Crew. Except he had actual flesh on his bone and even a large pot belly despite his otherwise boney appearance.

Charlotte scanned the woman once over and then the one named T-Bone. Her eyes landed on the large decorated ancient sword on his hip. Her fingers brushed against the thinner blades tucked under her gloves. His weapon would greatly outweigh hers. "That depends, are you going to interfere? Not that it matters." Charlotte answered and the woman pulled the cancer stick from her mouth to laugh.

"I'm taking this little diamond in the rough." The woman announced suddenly, throwing her arm around Charlotte's shoulders and Charlotte clenched her teeth at the searing heat that ran through her body instantly. "I like the bite this one has."

She's a devil fruit user. Charlotte noted while Shachi pushed the arm off as he stepped in between them "Sorry, but you're not taking our treasured friend anywhere." He said as Penguin plopped Spikey back into Charlotte's hands and took his place next to the capette.

She stared at the two. Treasured friend? She blinked, flushed, and then barked. "Hey! I got it covered!"

A faint and raspy laughter escaped the taller male, "It's not just her. I'm interested in the two of you too." He said and easily plucked Shachi off the ground like he was a flower. He brought the man closer to his face, studying it. "Yep, I like this one."

Charlotte grabbed the tie around Penguin's waist and shook her head. Her mind updated her previous gauges of their ability with the new information. The two before them were strong, very strong, and at least one of them an ability user. Not to mention there were far too many eyes watching them now and amongst them a few were wearing the same white coats. She wondered if they could make a break for it. She scratched out that idea almost immediately after. Her body far too heavy from whatever ability she just copied and that would mean leaving Shachi behind. She groaned. She really should have just stayed on the dingy submarine.

T-Bone eyed the shadows below the huntress. He swore it looked like it was moving. "There's no need to be so apprehensive." He planted Shachi back on the ground. "My name is T-Bone and I was a knight before joining the Marines. The female here is Hina and she ate the Ori Ori no Mi. As Marine Captains, we came to the Sport Festivals to scout for potentials subordinates." He gave them a toothy grin and the three blanched at the next words.

"We've decided upon you three."