~Red Dawn~
2
For ages they have been adrift to sea…
Hours…
Days…
Weeks…
Time was blurring together…
And the crew couldn't make heads or tail of what was going on with the map.
They followed its course…
But no crimson island was seen on the sea so far…
In fact…
No island at all came into light.
"See…? I knew that map was a fake…" Yasopp sighed as he leaned over the railing while Shanks looked over the map a few more times.
"No…the map is real." said Beckman, "However…the same can't be said for the island Red Dawn." he stated.
"Red Dawn or not…this map definitely leads somewhere…" Shanks mutters as he scratches his chin, "Question is where…and why is it so hard to find?"
"Heh…who knows…maybe it really is Red Dawn." Beckman chuckled, "After all…that Crimson island is most famous for being elusive, right?"
"Ha Ha ha~ well yeah that…and crimson flowers said to save a life– huh?"
Shank's blinked his eyes curiously as the light around them suddenly began to change.
Everything grew dark…
But not black.
No…
Instead…
Everything began to turn into a deep crimson red.
"Red skies?" Shanks whispered softly to himself while his gathering crew began to stammer amongst the,selves about what could be causing such an intense color of the surrounding light.
"CAPTAIN!" their voices cried out, calling for Shanks to rise up and acknowledge their call.
"You've gotta see this!"
"Huh? See what?" Shanks asked, peaking Beckman's curiosity as well, "What's up Yasopp?" he approached slowly to the deck to follow his crew mate's trembling finger.
He pointed out with a shaking hand as the horizon came into view…
And Shank's eyes grew wide.
"Th-That's…"
"A-an island…" Yasopp trembled out the words, "...Red as crimson blood…"
Shank takes in a sharp breath and looks around them…
The Sky was red…
The clouds were red…
Even the water they floated upon took on the color of red blood…
Due to the reflection of light of the sun falling upon a crimson island of red flowers…
Shank's heart pounded…
And his lips curled into a smile…
Loosening out some soft chuckling as he whispered its name…
"...Red Dawn…~"
The crew dropped anchor and soon disembarked from their ship, onto the island.
Their feet treaded carefully ankle deep through a grassy field of crimson flowers…
Awe stricken the crew stared with eyes wide and jaws agape.
"So what do you think, Captain?" asked Beckman, "You think this is the place?"
"Well…it certainly looks like the place… Don't you think?" Shanks chuckled, leaning down slowly for a closer look at the flowers.
… They were a beautiful crimson red…
Similar to the look of a Spider Lily fused with a desert rose.
Their petals were soft to the touch of tender fingers, like velvet and the air hung heavy with the sweet smell of their nectar.
"Now the real question is…" Shanks said softly as he tenderly touched the petals beneath his fingers,"...Can these flowers really heal?" he wondered, "Can nectar from these plants really save a life…or cure an illness?"
"I guess we'll have to study them and find out."
"Yeah definitely." Shanks hummed, " At the very least, they smell sweet…so they might make for a good Sake–"
"Geez…is Booze all you ever really think about?" Beckman chuckled pulling some light hearted laughter from the captain as well.
The scattered crew members wandered through the field of flowers, plucking a few and admiring their beauty–
Curiosity peaked everyone's interest–
But as they pluck the few plants they had gathered from their roots…
A gentle sound of dropping bodies began to surround them.
"What's going on!?' Shanks asked as he and Beckman took notice of the dropping bodies around them.
With Panic they scattered to check their pulses–
"They're still alive." said Beckman, "Just out cold…"
"Yeah– but how-!?" But it wasn't long before Beckman soon fell as well…
Sleeping peacefully just like the rest.
"Beckman too…?" Shanks questioned, "Heh…maybe it was the drinking beforehand…"
Not that Shanks had room to speak on that matter–
He curiously scanned around the area.
His fallen crew mates lay around him.
To his relief…
They were just sleeping…
Rather peacefully.
But what got to Shanks was how it happened…
And why.
It didn't seem to be poison…
He certainly wasn't feeling sick.
And also…
Why wasn't he as affected as the rest?
He pondered with these questions when he felt a sudden surge with him.
What the hell…?
What is this…energy…?
Chills ran through Shank's body as he sensed the lingering essence of a very powerful presence. A cold sweat ran down his skin as he looked around…
Red Skies and Red Flowers…
He saw nothing else.
Not a city or a town…
Not even a village.
To the naked eye the island looked pure and untouched–
At least not until Shank's crew made landfall here.
However…
There was something in the distance that changed that point of view.
…A Woman…?
Against the crimson sky stood a woman…
She had long dark hair, thick with waves that flowed like water when the wind blew through it. She seemed to keep it tame with a band around her forehead so that her bangs stayed out of her ruby red eyes that shot a grimson glare straight through him.
Shanks could feel his breath hitch while his own eyes grew wide, taking in the sight of her beauty.
Was she an Angel?
Perhaps a Goddess or Guardian deity…
No…
She's definitely human…
He thought to himself.
But then…
What's this power…
…Flowing from her?
He wondered.
The woman's crimson eyes narrowed, casting a warm glow over her freckled cheeks.
They were fixated on him causing his pulse to quicken.
And yet…
He didn't feel afraid of her.
"...Who are you?" he asked her.
The silence between them lingered, and weighed heavily for a while before she finally spoke.
"My name is Camille…" she said to him, "I live alone on this island…left in responsibility for its protection…"
Its…
Protection…!?
Shanks thought to himself.
"Now then…" she said to him, startling back into the current moment as she questioned him in return.
"Tell me…who…are you…?"
To Be Continued…