Coco: Hey, hey, everyone. How are you this fine morning? (It's just past 4AM where I'm at. Working nightshift has made me nocturnal XD)
I hope you all are doing well and ready for the next chapter in A Heart in Chains! I am having so much fun with this rewrite. Like you have no idea. I already have the next chapter ready to go to XD And I'm working on the third chapter for this arc as well. In fact, it's almost done. I'm hoping to keep up this pace and get back to where we were in the last version of this story as quickly as possible (but I'm not going to rush things either. I want this story to turn out right this time, ya know?)
Wren frowned as she sat in the women's quarters on Nami Watching Duty. She was sitting in front of the vanity in the room having to watch the person being reflected at her laugh as he was leaned back in his chair holding his stomach. The boy looked to be a little younger than Wren with white hair that stuck up in a spikey mess around his head. His eyes were the same color as Wren's, and he had the same nose shape as the woman in front of him. However, his skin was darker in complexion.
"So, you're stuck with a crew of baby pirates, huh? That's hilarious!" The boy laughed. "Who came up with that idea? Was it Uncle Vlad? That man's sense of humor is brilliant!"
Wren resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her younger cousin who also doubled as her officer Caballero.
"I'm so glad you can find humor in my plight, Little Sorrie," Wren said using the boy's nickname.
Caballero instantly stopped laughing as he gave the now smirking Wren the stink eye.
"Now, if you're done poking fun at me, we have things to discuss, yes?" Wren moved the conversation along.
"Yeah, yeah," Caballero huffed.
Wren shook her head at his pout as he kicked his feet up on the desk he was sitting at.
"As of now, we're heading in the direction of Alabasta." Caballero told Wren. "Even with the stop you're making at the Drum Kingdom to find a doctor for the Straw Hat's navigator, you'll still reach the desert kingdom before us."
Wren expected as much considering the distance Caballero will have to cross with his ship.
"Obispo is getting ready to go on standby in case anything is go wrong and you need assistance." Caballero said. "Her second-in-command informed me this morning that they'll be heading to Alabasta under the ruse of using the upcoming civil war to fill some columns in the News Coo. Apparently, she also told her boss she thought there was something more to what was happening, and she thought Crocodile was up to something. Morgans couldn't send her out fast enough when hearing that."
Wren sighed. She knew Obispo was just trying to get to Alabasta fast, but Wren would rather she be more careful about what information she shares with those outside the organization. Just a few months ago, Wren had to scold the older female about chatting it up with some revolutionaries and basically telling them that she too was a part of an organization that is trying to foil the government. The Viel was still very much unknown.
There were no whispers of it in everyday society, and only rumors spread about it in the underground society. She knew the government knew of them, but she also knew they didn't understand their organization's true motives or the faces of the organization or how large the organization was. And Wren hopes to keep it that way.
"Things are moving smoothly on your ends then." Wren said then glanced over her shoulder at the fitfully resting Nami. "Now, if only I could figure out how to work around these rookies, so my own part of the plan goes well."
She didn't necessarily dislike this group of rookies. After all, how could she after witnessing Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji taking a beating simply because she didn't want her neighbors to be hurt. They allowed themselves to be injured by the very creatures Wren wanted to protect. They were different than most humans. She could admit that now…still didn't mean she trusted them completely.
Moreover, taking the time to help them like this was slowing her down. Not to mention that they could become a liability in Alabasta. She couldn't take the chance of her plans being ruined. Though she supposed she might actually be stuck with them permanently now.
"I'm sure you'll figure things out, Wren," Caballero said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Killing them is always an option if they get in the way."
Wren normally would agree. After all, while the Viel did have similar goals to the Revolutionaries, there was a major difference. The Viel did what was necessary to reach their goals and if that meant people had to suffer or die along the way, so be it. However, those decisions were only made after no other option was possible. Wren wasn't completely heartless…at least not yet. And according to the Lady of the Lake, she needed to prevent that from happening or all her work up until now would be for not.
"It isn't an option," Wren said surprising Caballero. "My father isn't the only one who wished for me to stay with these pirates…the Lady of the Lake did as well. She said without them…I would lose everything I've been working towards all this time…and that I would lose the few things—the few people—I do care about."
Law's face came to mind along with the family she still had left like Caballero.
"I'm not so far gone that I would disregard your safety or the safety of our family." Wren said. "If I can prevent it, I will do what I can to change the dark future she warned me about."
Caballero grew somber as he looked at his older cousin who looked so tired at that moment. They weren't extremely close. For the longest time, all he knew was that she existed and nothing else. This being because he grew up in the New World with his parents and siblings while Wren was off being a pirate with the Donquixote Family. They only just reunited a few years ago, but still, he cared about Wren, and he knows how much she's sacrificed to get to where she is today. Which is why he wants so badly to try and help her.
"Things will work out in the end." Caballero assured her. "I know we've had this recent set back, but we haven't been defeated."
"…you're right." Wren said with a sigh. "It is funny though…fate is, I mean. If you had told me a month ago that I would have lost my status in an infamous pirate crew and would be sailing with a bunch of rookies, I wouldn't have believed you…but now, it would seem as if my fate is intertwined with them. It will make things difficult from here on out…but I will make it work. I must for the sake of our mission."
Caballero didn't comment. Though the look on his face said it all. He thought she was pushing herself too far again. That she was doing more than she needed and not relying on anyone or asking for help.
"I'll be fine." Wren said when seeing his look. "Maybe after this incident in Alabasta…I can take a small break."
"That would probably be best." Caballero agreed before glancing behind him to something outside of Wren's vision. "I gotta go. It's getting close to teatime and we both know how seriously my father takes those. Mother is making his favorite today too, so if I want any food for myself, I better get going."
Wren chuckled with a small smile pulling across her face. She hasn't had a teatime with her family in several months now. It was hard to make time to see them and to get away without being noticed by the Donquixote Family. Not to mention getting past Caballero's crazy grandmother was always a chore, so family visits had been a very rare occurrence.
"I understand," Wren said. "Give the family my regards."
"Of course," Caballero said with a grin. "Later, cousin."
He winked at Wren then disappeared from the mirror, which flickered for a moment until Wren's own reflection was revealed to her. Wren stared at her own reflection for a moment before sighing. She then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
"I suppose it is getting close to that time." Wren said as she stood from the chair. "Besides, a pot of tea does sound lovely right about now."
She went over to the chest of things that her father packed her to search for the tea leaves she knew Vladimir would have packed for her. She found the familiar tin box that her family has always used to carry their tea leaves in.
'He didn't have to send it all with me,' Wren thought as she ran her fingers across the blue box that's seen better days as its paint was starting to peel and rust was forming.
She tucked the box under her arm then grabbed a vile of the fever reducing medicine for Nami. Wren went over to the orangette's bed to check on Nami before she went up to the galley. Wren reached out to place the back of her fingers against Nami's forehead. The fever was returning with a vengeance, which meant they didn't have much time. They needed to get Nami to Dr. Kureha as soon as possible before it was too late.
All Wren could do was try to keep her fever down as much as possible until then. Wren brought Nami's blanket up to her shoulders to carefully tuck the girl in. Once ensuring she was covered up and not needing any immediate care, Wren left the women's quarters to take the stairs up. She entered the galley where most of the crew was already lounging.
"Wren-san, is Nami okay?" Vivi asked.
"She's fine." Wren said. "She is still resting. I only came up here to make some tea for when she wakes up to take her medicine. It should keep her comfortable until we reach Drum Island."
Vivi nodded then said she would go keep Nami company until Wren could return to her. Karoo followed Vivi to watch over Nami, which left Wren with the boys.
"Sanji, may I use the stove to make tea?" Wren asked.
"Of course, Wren-chan!" Sanji said with a large smile. "Allow me to grab you the kettle as well."
He went to grab said kettle as Wren set her supplies down onto the kitchen counter. Havel, who was curled up in Luffy's lap, watched the young woman look through the blue tin she placed on the counter. His nose twitched at the different scents.
"Darjeeling or Earl Grey?" Wren questioned the others while Sanji was placing the kettle on the stove to boil.
When she received blank looks from the crew, she tilted her head at them.
"Or would you prefer Assam or perhaps Ceylon?" Wren said.
"Dar-what?" Usopp replied with his own question. "Assam?"
"Yeah, what are those things? Are they yummy?" Luffy asked.
Havel, who climbed off Luffy's lap to sit on the table, blinked at these pirates wondering if they never had tea before. Wren seemed just as confused as the feline as she seemed unsure what to say.
"Wren-chan is offering to make you tea, Morons." Sanji told them as he got out the mugs. "I've made it for you before."
The two boys ah'ed in understanding as Wren sweat-dropped. She then took out the tea ball and placed the ground medicine inside of it. She mixed some Assam tea leaves inside it as well, so it'd mask some of the taste of medicine for Nami. She took one of the mugs from Sanji while thanking him. She closed the mesh wire ball and placed it in the mug with the thin metal chain hanging out of it. She placed it to the side for Nami as Sanji placed the teapot in front of her.
"Anything else I can do for you, my dear?" Sanji asked Wren.
"No, I can handle the rest." Wren said. "Thank you."
Sanji nodded and was about to move away before pausing and turning back to Wren.
"And Earl Grey sounds lovely." Sanji said with a kind smile. "I noticed the temperature is dropping and Earl Grey is a good tea to warm up with, don't you agree?"
Wren looked at Sanji a bit surprised. However, she soon gave a small smile in return as she took out the leaves.
"I do." Wren said.
Earl Grey was her favorite and she'd never turn down the opportunity to brew a pot of it. She had just been trying to be polite when she asked the others what they'd prefer. After all, not everyone has the same tastes.
"Why not mix all of them?" Luffy asked.
Havel looked appalled at the very idea of mixing all the leaves together as he moved away from the straw-hatted boy.
"Idiot, if you mix all of them together, they won't taste right." Usopp said as he hit Luffy on the back of the head.
Luffy's head bobbled due to the smack, but he didn't even seem to care as he grinned really big.
"Really?" Luffy asked. "Well, I want the first one Wren said. The, uh, Dadeerling!"
"It's Darjeeling, Luffy." Sanji corrected with an annoyed huff. "And we already decided on Earl Grey. Just be grateful Wren-chan is being generous enough to make anything for your ungrateful ass."
Luffy huffed looking like he might protest, which is why Wren quickly pulled out a few other tea balls.
"We can make a variety." She compromised. "Does that sound fair?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Luffy said nodding. "I want one cup of Daduckling, Wren!"
"It's Darjeeling!" Sanji snapped.
Zoro rolled his eyes at his loud crewmates as Usopp shyly asked if he could have a cup of Assam tea to try. Wren did as the long-nose boy requested as she prepared two more tea balls to place in two separate mugs. She then prepared the pot with Earl Grey as the kettle continued to heat up on the stove. As she worked, she decided to make conversation with her new companions.
"I didn't have the chance to ask earlier," she began. "But what business do you all have in Alabasta? I take it that it has something to do with the fact that Vivi is the Princess of Alabasta."
"Yeah, we're taking Vivi home and then we're going to beat up Crocodile for her!" Luffy said as he held up his fist.
Wren looked at Luffy who spoke with such confidence as he wore a large grin on his face.
"You plan to beat up Crocodile," Wren repeated. "One of the Shichibukai?"
"Yeah, I can take him!" Luffy said confidentially. "Just wait and see, Wren. I'll kick his ass for sure."
Wren hummed not so sure about that. However, it was a rookie who defeated the Shichibukai Hanafuda a couple of years ago, so it wouldn't be a first if Luffy did manage to do as he said he would.
'And just two short years after Hanafuda's defeat that rookie became a big shot in a legendary pirate crew.' Wren thought. 'Sometimes rookies can surprise you.'
She studied Luffy wondering if he'd be one those rookies who take this sea by storm. She supposed she'd just have to wait and see.
"Why are you going to Alabasta, Wren?" Usopp asked curiously as the kettle whistled from the stove. "Visiting a friend or something?"
Wren carefully took it off the stove then poured the steaming water into the tea pot and the remaining water into the cups where the tea balls were waiting.
"No," Wren answered. "I have a similar goal to all of you, which is to take down Crocodile."
The men in the galley looked at Wren in surprised as they hadn't expected that answer.
"Really?" Usopp asked surprised. "Did he take something from you?"
Wren shook her head as she moved the kettle to the sink to wipe it down and then place it back where she saw Sanji grab it from.
"Not at all." Wren said as she leaned against the counter while waiting for the tea to steep. "However, I hear he is after some kind weapon of mass destruction, and it wouldn't be in anyone's best interest if he were to get his hands on it. So, to put it simply, I too am after Crocodile."
There were details she left out that she could not tell them, but it was for the best in her opinion.
"So, you're just taking him down to make sure he doesn't get a weapon?" Zoro asked. "What for? Just out of the goodness of your heart?"
Wren chuckled at the question as a small smirk pulled across her face.
"Certainly not." Wren said. "In all honesty, I could care less what Crocodile has planned for Alabasta. What happens to that country is of no concern to me. I have my reasons as to why I don't want Crocodile getting his hands on this weapon that is all."
Zoro's brow quirked wondering what Wren could be planning and why she cared about Crocodile and this weapon.
"Crocodile is just a small piece on the board." Wren continued. "This game that I'm playing is long term, which is why I'm hesitant to join your crew, Luffy."
She looked to the straw-hat boy as said boy was currently playing with Havel's paws after placing the feline in his lap again. Luffy paused in his fun to look at Wren.
"Game?" Luffy repeated. "What kind of game?"
"It's a special game I've been playing against someone for a very long time," Wren answered. "It's one I can't afford to lose. It's a game I'd give my life to win, understand?"
Luffy's expression turned uncharacteristically serious as he nodded his head solemnly. He didn't need the details. He understood that if Wren would die to make whatever she was working towards a reality that it was something very important.
"Good," Wren said as she stopped leaning against the counter. "Everything should be finished steeping now."
She took the tea balls from the cups to place in the sink for now. She then picked up Usopp and Luffy's mugs to walk over to them. She placed the mugs in front of them.
"I hope you enjoy." She told the boys.
They thanked Wren while grabbing their mugs. As they blew on the tea to cool it off, Wren poured the Earl Grey into the other cups after placing a strainer over the cups to collect the remain leaves. She passed out the cups to Sanji and Zoro before placing a cup in front of Havel.
"Thank you, Misce." Havel purred as he sniffed the cup. "Now, if only there were some sweets to go with it."
"Can a cat even have tea and enjoy sweets?" Zoro questioned as he sweat-dropped.
"I am no ordinary feline." Havel pointed out. "Besides, neighbors of all kinds love sweets. So much so that if you ever anger one, the offering of sweets could save your life."
Zoro's brow quirked wondering if it was really that easy. If he had known that maybe he could have avoided getting tossed around by that beast.
"Misce, doesn't something sweet sound good about now?" Havel questioned as his tail swished behind him.
"It does," Wren said. "However, considering we couldn't gather any supplies from Magus, we need to be mindful of our provisions. I will get you something on the next island if we have the time, okay?"
Havel was satisfied enough with her answer as he went to enjoy his cup of tea. As the boys enjoyed their warm beverages, Wren placed the remaining mugs on a tray to take down to the women's quarters. After she was gone, Sanji turned towards Havel.
"Oi, furball, does Wren-chan like sweets?" Sanji questioned.
"Of course," Havel said. "She's half fae after all like Cain. Though you don't have to be one of us to like sweets, you know. You humans like them too, yes?"
When the boys didn't answer right away, Havel looked up from his cup of tea to see their stunned expressions.
"She's what?!" The boys exclaimed.
Havel looked at them oddly wondering if they hadn't really figured that out before now.
"Why do you think we call her misce?" Havel questioned. "We neighbors are typically nameless and thus call each other by what we are. Misce means halfling."
"And how would we know that?!" Usopp retorted.
Havel shrugged then returned to his tea as Sanji sat down in front of his own cup. He had a troubled expression on his face as he blew out a stream of smoke from between his lips.
'Is that why she was kidnapped into slavery? Because she's a halfling?' he wondered. 'And if it's true that the neighbors typically address each other in such a way…why does she seem to grow tense when they call her that?'
"Drink." Wren ordered as she held out the teacup to Nami.
Nami, who was sitting up in bed, took the teacup from Wren. She looked down at the dark liquid with a frown on her face. Wren had already warned her the mixture was going to taste bitter.
"Best to get it over with." Wren told Nami. "The faster you drink the sooner you may lay back down to rest. I tried to mask some of the bitter flavor with tea, but it won't completely cover up the taste of medicine."
Nami sighed though didn't argue as she drank the warm liquid. She almost gagged because of the bitter taste but managed to hold it down to drink the rest.
"Very good." Wren praised as she took the cup from Nami.
Nami only frowned in reply as she laid back down. Wren lightly huffed in amusement at Nami's pouting expression as she put the cup to the side. She then grabbed a cloth to dip into a bucket of water Vivi had fetched earlier. When she pulled it out, she wrung it out to get rid of some of the water. She folded it up to place over Nami's forehead.
"Thank-you for looking after me, Wren." Nami said weakly. "I know you'd probably rather spend your time doing something else."
"Think nothing of it." Wren said. "Just rest."
Nami smiled while nodding her head. She then drifted off into sleep as Wren remained at her bedside. Vivi sat off to the side as she looked at Wren curiously. Though the princess wasn't ungrateful for Wren's help, she was a bit surprised that Wren agreed to join Luffy's crew. She didn't seem the type to like being part of a group.
"Something on your mind?" Wren asked suddenly.
Vivi jumped then noticed that the older woman had turned her visible red eye on her. Vivi blushed at getting caught staring.
"No! I just—I'm sorry." Vivi stuttered in the end since she had no idea what to say.
She hung her head feeling more embarrassed than a second ago. Wren was silent for a moment as she looked at Vivi.
"I do not understand why you are apologizing, but I suppose apology accepted." Wren said shrugging her shoulders. "Now, I know something is on your mind, so please feel free to share."
Vivi bit her lip as she took her eyes off her lap to look directly at Wren who was regarding her calmly. Vivi went to open her mouth to ask Wren what her intentions were in joining this crew, but before she could, Sanji came down into the women's quarters.
"Wren-chan, how is Nami-san doing?" Sanji asked.
"Her fever is rising again." Wren said as she glanced at Sanji. "What my father did earlier is barely keeping the fever at bay. It won't be much longer before things turn dire."
Sanji's brow furrowed in distress when he heard that since he didn't want any of the lovely ladies on the ship to be sick or hurting.
"Is there anything else we can do?" Sanji asked.
Wren didn't reply at first as she leaned back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. She then took her cup of tea off the table to take a sip.
"All I can do is continue to monitor her and make sure she takes her medicine." Wren replied. "However, that doesn't mean it will buy her anymore time."
Sanji frowned wishing there was something they could do. He felt helpless right now.
"Could you not use magic like your father had?" Vivi questioned.
Wren just frowned as she looked down at her hand with a troubled look on her face. She curled and uncurled her fingers as she wondered one thing.
'Would my magic help...or would it make things worse like how it poisoned my father's garden?' She pondered.
She knew she couldn't avoid magic forever, but she also hesitant to perform any magic that comes in direct contact with anything living.
"Magic is not a cure all." Havel, who padded down into the room after finishing his tea, pointed out while unknowingly saving Wren was having to answer Vivi's question.
He then went over to Wren, so to jump up into her lap. She stroked the feline's fur as he made himself comfortable.
"If it was then this trip to see Dr. Kureha would be pointless." Havel continued.
Vivi sighed though knew Havel had a point. If magic was the answer to curing Nami, she was sure Vladimir would have already taken care of it.
"We should reach Drum Kingdom shortly." Wren tried to assure Vivi and Sanji. "Until then all we can do is make sure Nami is comfortable."
Wren then sat up straighter with a frown pulling across her face when she sensed the presence of others near the Going Merry.
'They're coming from underneath the water,' Wren realized. 'A submarine?'
Submarines weren't something completely unheard of in these waters. However, they were rare. Not even the Marines used them often and preferred to sail above the waters on ships.
'Rival pirates most likely,' Wren thought as she placed her cup down.
"Wren-san, is something wrong?" Vivi questioned when noticing the change in Wren's demeanor.
Wren, who moved Havel to her shoulders, just stood up while moving away from Nami's bed.
"Stay here." Wren said. "Please, do make sure Nami isn't jostled."
Before Sanji or Vivi could ask Wren what was going on, she was already up the stairs. Wren shut the trapdoor that led to the women's quarters then walked out the door to go outside. Wren let out a breath of air as she stepped out onto the deck of the Going Merry to see what was going on. Earlier, she had changed out of her previous outfit as soon as she felt the drop in temperature earlier, so she wasn't bothered by the frigid wind that blew past her and ruffled her hair.
Being brought up mostly in the North Blue, Wren was used to chilly climates, but even she needed warmer clothes to protect herself from frigid temperatures. Hence why she now wore a long sleeve, white wool sweater dress with thick, black leggings, and faux, black-furred boots that went up to her knees. She also had a coat on standby, but as of right now the temperatures haven't hit their lowest.
"Is everything alright up here?" Wren questioned the boys on deck as she brushed her hair back from her face as the wind continued to blow.
Luffy and Usopp turned to look at her and Havel from where they were at the front of the ship.
"Hey, Wren, there's some guy on the water!" Luffy said pointing.
Wren turned her attention to the lone man standing on top the water. She narrowed her gaze at him. She could hear more voices below him. Several more.
"He isn't alone." Wren said as she moved to stand by the main mast.
Usopp and Luffy looked at Wren in confusion as Zoro looked down from the crow's nest.
'How could she possibly now that?' He wondered with a frown.
However, before he could ask her how she was certain of that, a huge metal sphere shot up out of the ocean. The Going Merry slipped right off it while hitting the water below, which had the ship bouncing and shaking. Usopp went falling backwards as the ship continued to shake.
"What is that thing?!" Luffy asked. "A watermelon?!"
"It's a ship." Havel said as the large, iron sphere started to open.
The iron slipped down into the ocean to reveal a large ship that made the Going Merry seem like a dingy. A figurehead rose out of the water to stop at the front of the ship, and a flag with a Jolly Rodger was hoisted up. It wasn't one Wren recognized.
"Oh crap!" Usopp exclaimed. "It's a pirate ship!"
"It's huge." Luffy said with wide eyes.
"Great." Zoro complained. "Just when we need to hurry."
They all then heard laughter coming from the ship, which had Wren and the boys looking for the source of it.
"What's the matter?" A voice asked. "Don't tell me our underwater raid ship the Tin Tyrant surprised you!"
The laughter continued, and Wren soon pinpointed the source of it to a large man who was eating meat off a dagger. The large man's men then came on board to surround all of them. It didn't take long before they held Wren and the boys at gunpoint. Wren sighed in mild annoyance at these men as Sanji came bursting through the door to join them.
"Hey!" He called out. "What's going on…?"
He trailed off while looking around to see they had guests. He let out a sigh as he brought out his match box to light a match. He lit a cigarette calmly then after he took a drag, he let out a puff of smoke.
"So, what's going on?" Sanji asked nonchalantly.
"Well, we're under attack and it's still snowing." Luffy said casually as some of the men surround Sanji as well.
Sanji let out another puff of smoke as he held his cigarette away from his mouth in between his fingers.
"Well, yeah, the guns pointed at my face kind of gave that one away." Sanji said. "What next? Oh, I know…I'm going to give you punks a lesson about never pointing your guns at a lady!"
He went to attack the men closest to Wren, but the woman reached out and grabbed his arm. He stopped immediately while turning to look at Wren in confusion.
"There is no need for that." Wren said as she released his arm. "If I felt threatened, I would have already handled them."
She then moved forward surprising the gunmen who took a step back in confusion. They didn't even try to stop her when she moved past them to take a seat at the stairs. She crossed one leg over the other, leaned forward to rest her elbow on her knee, so she could cup her chin in her hand.
"Now, state your business." Wren told the man who seemed to be in charge. "Preferably before I lose my patience."
"How dare you act so insolent!" One man snapped. "You are speaking to royalty. Show some respect, woman!"
Wren's indifferent expression did not change as her eye slid over to the man who snapped at her. She pointed her finger at the man, which had him stiffening.
"And you are speaking to someone far stronger than you, so perhaps you should hold your tongue." Wren told him.
The men around Wren grew agitated by her attitude and looked ready to fire at any moment. The tension in the air grew until the supposed royal opened his mouth.
"Now, now, calm down, men." The large man said as he came onto the Going Merry as well. "Don't attack them yet. We still have questions to ask them."
The men under his command growled as they glared at Wren who simply sat up and placed her hands on her knees. She rose one of her eyebrows expectantly at the man.
"You all consider yourselves a band of pirates?" The man asked as he chewed on his food. "That's amusing. I only county five of ya and a cat."
He then took a bite out of his dagger as he was finishing off the rest of the meat. The boys looked at the man oddly as he chewed.
"Sort of strange that your group would have such few members." The man continued.
He tossed the rest of the dagger into his mouth to munch loudly on. Wren frowned at his poor eating manners as Sanji nearly gagged at the sight.
"Kay, that's just weird." Luffy said. "What kind of guy likes to eat knives?"
"My gums are bleeding just thinking about it." Usopp said.
Putting aside the fact that this man was only becoming odder by the second, Wren spoke up.
"With a comment like that I suspect you're quite new to sailing yourself." Wren commented casually. "Shall I give you some advice, Royal-san? This is the Grand Line, and whether you sail with a hundred men or just five, there is no guarantee of your survival. Especially when you foolishly attack an enemy ship without any clear plan or without knowing the strengths of your enemy. You should take this advice to heart. It might save your life someday. If you survive this encounter that is."
The man narrowed his eyes at Wren as her lips turned up into a mocking smirk. Havel, who jumped down to stand at her feet, snickered as he flexed his claws.
"How dare you threaten, Wapol-sama!" The same man from earlier shouted. "You damned one-eyed wench!"
Wren looked at the man rather unimpressed even when he shoved his gun in her direction. Sanji stiffened at the action as his blood boiled. He tried to remain put as Wren showed no concern over the gun in her face.
"Last warning, human," Wren told the gunman before looking back to the man Wapol. "Now, Royal-san, tell us what you want from us, so we may go our separate ways. We don't have the time for this delay."
"Yeah, what she said!" Luffy added.
He knew they needed to get to Drum Island as soon as possible, so they could get Nami to that doctor that Vladimir mentioned.
"Alright, I'll keep this simple." Wapol said as he continued munching. "See my men here and I wish to travel to Drum Kingdom. You wouldn't happen to have an eternal pose or a log pose would ya?"
Wren tilted her head at Wapol while remaining silent. She shifted and moved her right hand to place it a few inches over the step she was sitting on, thus casting her hand's shadow over the wood.
"No, can't help." Sanji said. "Sorry, but I've never heard of this Drum Island."
Which was a total lie since Sanji knew it was the place that Wren's father had instructed them to set sail, so to get help for Nami. Didn't mean they had to let these bozos know though.
"Well, now that we have that all settled, would you guys just leave already?" Luffy asked frowning. "We're in a hurry. We don't have time to deal with all this."
"You'll never enjoy life if you're always in a rush." Wapol said then held up his finger. "But if you have neither pose what can be done? I suppose I'll have to settle for your treasure and this ship."
Wren sighed and shook her head as she reached down with her fingers dipping into her own shadow. The shadow rippled like water at her touch as her hand dipped farther in to grasp something.
"First thing's first!" Wapol continued. "I'm feeling a bit hungry."
He then took a big bite out of the Going Merry, which had the Straw Hats gasping in shock. He started munching on it as if it was completely normal.
'Must be a devil fruit ability,' Wren surmised calmly.
"He's a ship eating monster!" Usopp cried.
"Hey, our ship isn't your lunch!" Luffy snapped.
He leaned over the railing as he spoke, which had Wapol's men readying their guns.
"Be quiet." One of Wapol's men ordered. "Wapol-sama doesn't like to be disturbed while he's eating."
Luffy snapped at them to shut-up as he punched that guy and another over their heads. This led to Wapol's men attacking, which didn't seem to bother Zoro and Sanji in the slightest. In fact, Wren noticed they looked excited for a fight.
"Now, things are finally starting to get interesting." Zoro said as he shed the blanket that he had been wearing from his person.
"Perfect," Sanji said as he removed his scarf. "This is more like it."
Usopp didn't seem to feel the same as he quickly ducked for cover behind the mast and begged for the enemy to stop shooting.
"Havel, please assist Usopp." Wren said. "We don't need anyone else needing medical treatment when we are doctorless."
Havel nodded in reply as his body started to grow. Wapol's men gasped in surprise while backing up as Havel grew larger and larger. Luffy, who threw another man off the ship, gasped with sparkles entering his eyes as Havel grew to the size of a large horse.
"So cool!" Luffy shouted as Havel gave a growl that sounded more like it belonged to a lion than a housecat.
Havel jumped into the fray to force Wapol's men away from Usopp. He then swiped at Wapol's men before they could recover from their shock. He easily fought against them as Wren, who suddenly was holding a sword in hand, stood up. Her movement had some of the gunmen turning in her direction.
"I did try to warn you." She said as she started down the steps. "Remember that is was your insistence on not listening to me that led this."
Before any of them could speak she disappeared from their sight and reappeared in the middle of them. The men blinked in confusion when a second passed with nothing happening. However, they then cried out when a strong force sent them flying back towards Wapol's ship. They landed on top of their crewmates who grunted at impact.
Zoro, who took care of his group of attackers, looked at Wren a bit miffed to see a blade in her hand. He hadn't seen her carrying one before. He then looked back to the men she sent flying to see not even a scratch on them.
'What kind of skill must you have to keep such an attack from slicing its target?' he wondered out loud as he watched the sword in Wren's hand return to her shadow.
"Why did you hold back?" Zoro questioned. "Doesn't seem like something you do."
"Normally, no." Wren said. "However, I'm wearing white today. Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of wool fabric? Especially when it's white?"
She said this with a flippant wave of her hand as she walked towards Havel who finished dealing with Wapol's men and shrunk back to his usual size. Zoro nearly fell over in shock at her reply.
"Seriously?!" Zoro snapped.
"Good job, Havel." Wren, who ignored her fellow swordsman's reaction, praised as the feline jumped into her arms.
Havel purred at the praise as he rubbed the top of his head against Wren's chin.
"Just what kind of monster is that cat?" One of the men asked as he laid on the ground defeated.
He then grunted in pain when Wren stepped on his head as she walked away. She saw Luffy heading for Wapol as he was stretching his arms backwards. However, before he could attack, he ended up in the Wapol's mouth. Wren wrinkled her nose at the sight. As she felt bad for Luffy who had to endure Wapol's disgusting mouth, Vivi came bursting through the door. The princess paused looking confused.
"What is this?" Vivi asked.
"Oh, hey there, Vivi-chan." Sanji said casually. "Everything okay with Nami-san?"
Before Vivi could reply, Luffy's arms snapped back into place, so to hit against Wapol's torso in one strong strike. The hit was strong enough to send Wapol flying out over the ocean. Wren blinked watching as he became a speck in the sky.
"This is bad!" The man in the jester outfit said. "He sent Wapol-sama flying out into the ocean!"
"Bad?!" His afro-headed companion exclaimed. "It's worse! It's a disaster! Wapol-sama is gonna drown. He can't swim!"
The two men, who appeared to be some kind of officers, called for the men on the Going Merry to retreat. Wren watched them go as they were quick to try and follow their captain. All the while they shouted threats at the Straw Hats. Wren shook her head as she watched their ship disappear into the distance.
"Wow, crazy." Usopp said as he stood next to Wren. "Those guys are really upset. What were they calling that old garbage can? Wapol?"
"Who cares what his name was?" Sanji said as he joined the two. "Don't worry about it, Usopp. The guy's obviously a moron. Best to just forget about him."
Wren didn't comment. It was true Wapol was a moron. However, even morons could cause trouble.
'We can only hope he and his men don't reach Drum,' Wren thought. 'We can't afford any more delays…for Nami's sake.'
Coco: And here we are at the end of the chapter. As always, I hope it was to your liking.
Now, it's time for our end of chapter bonus thing, which I have come up with a name for it! Taking a little inspiration from Oda-san's SBS (which translates to 'I'm Taking Questions' (this is according the One Piece wiki)), I decide to call this end of chapter bonus: Coco's Learning Corner or CLC for short XD What do you think? Aren't I just so clever?! XD
...Aren't I? Clever, I mean? ...No? Well, ahem! Anyway, I'm sticking with it!
And in today's CLC, we'll be learning more about the Veil! But not too much since we don't want any spoilers!
Organization: The Veil
*Surprisingly it wasn't named by Wren. For some time, the organization was nameless. And due to this and them being so obscure some of the credit/responsibility for their actions went to the Revolutionary Army.
*The organization was finally given its name by Commander Oro.
*The Veil is separated into six different factions that answer to Wren. The commanders of those factions are named after shogi pieces (in the previous version there were only three commanders, and they were named after chess pieces) and the name of those pieces are in Spanish (to mirror how Doflamingo's commanders are named after card suits in Spanish).
*Wren's code name is Monarca/Monarch due to her holding the king position on the board.
The Commanders (In order of when they joined): Obispo (Bishop) Caballero (Knight) Plata (Silver/Silver General) Torre (Rook/Castle) Oro (Gold/Gold General) Lanza (Lance)
*In order of their age (youngest to eldest): Caballero, Obispo, Torre, Plata, Lanza, Oro
*The commanders were not given their code names until they were all assembled at the Veil officially named.
*The commanders are each assigned a second-in-command who not only run the factions when the commander cannot, but they also act as secretaries and keep up with the mundane work for the factions. Some also act as babysitters for the more eccentric commanders. (i.e. Obispo, Caballero, Lanza.) This is to keep them on track and to try and keep them from ignoring orders and just doing as they please. They also act as buffers for the commanders who typically can't get along with each other (e.g. how Oro typically loses his temper on the younger commanders or how Obispo and Caballero squabble like children)
*None of the commanders are human. All come from different races. That being said, humans aren't excluded from the Veil. Two of the seconds-in-command are humans and there are other humans throughout the organization.
*The seconds-in-command are given codes names with the number 2 coming after the first letter of their commander's code name. For example, Caballero's second is addressed as C2. Now, there are two commanders with O's at the beginning of their names. So, to ensure no confusion the second letter in Oro's name is used instead. Meaning his second is addressed as R2 while Obispo's second is called O2.
*This is also a reference to the numbers/letters on a chessboard (For example, moving a pawn to square E4) It's also a throwback reference to the Veil's previous name, which was the Chessboard.
*And speaking of pawns and chessboards, those who work under the commanders and their seconds are referred to as peón. Though that's not like their code name. One of those below the seconds are required to carry a code name. Peón is just the term used for the lower ranked members of the Veil.
Now, let's talk about the responsibilities of each faction:
Obispo: Espionage (Pretty self-explanatory. Obispo is in charge of gathering intelligence and placing spies in location beneficial for the Veil. Like, having people monitoring the happenings in Alabasta. Or getting her people in government facilities, etc.)
Caballero: Supply (mainly Caballero goes around pirating/pillaging from different locations/people to supply the organization with things they might need. His targets are usually rival pirates or marine bases known to be ran by corrupt officers) recruitment (it's his job to ensure that anyone that's brought in by him or anyone else in the organization can be trusted. So, he does like thorough checks on everyone)
Plata: Relief/Medical (He's not only there to heal or give relief to their men, but to also offer relief to those affected by their actions. He also does research on bioweapons/anything that might affect the populace, so he can come up with counter measures to deal the problem. For example, he's researched Queen and Caesar's work before.)
Torre: Research (Due to Torre's official job in the marines, she tends to keep up with the happenings of the world/what is happening within the government. It is then her job to inform Obispo of anything that might be beneficial for the Veil to know/obtain. Once she is done doing that, Obispo takes over and sends in her people to collect more data/steal anything worth stealing/sabotaging anything that might hinder their efforts. She also works close with Caballero and Plata. Informing the prior to government places he can raid and telling the former if she hears any word of the government making any bioweapons or anything similar)
Oro: Finances/Inventory (He's basically the banker and he's very stern about how money is spent within the Veil. Anyone who needs to spend money/buy supplies/etc, has to go through him first for approval. Even Wren. XD)
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And there you have it. That's the end of this CLC! There's more to learn about the Commanders and even other members of the Veil, but I don't want to give out too much just yet. However, the more their revealed in the story, the more they can be revealed in the CLC. I just want to kind of keep them all mysterious for now XD
Now, until next time, my wonderful readers~ Remember to keep being your beautiful selves and stay safe out there!
Lanza: Jack-of-All-Trades (Lanza's group is a catch all of talents who are there to help wherever needed. For example, if Caballero needs help on raids, Lanza's group has powerful individuals who can help with that. Or if Obispo has a sudden mission that pops up that needs immediate attention, Lanza has people skilled in spy work/sneaking. And due to Lanza's group being located in a place no affiliated with the government, his people are off the radar and it makes it harder to trace them back to their base.)
