One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Fifteen: Ice Caves

Luffy
At Danni's question Kuro's eyebrows knit in thought and he gnaws on his lip. I hope he comes up with something which isn't a one way death trap for us but we can't be too careful.
"Well the main entrance is out of the question," Kuro says, matter of factly. "Anyone who has tried that hasn't come out alive so I'm assuming there's a trap set up and it is probably an effective one. There is the cave system. Very difficult to find your way around if you don't already know it. Part of it leads to the back of the marine base and I doubt they even know about it." Huh. This is really explaining why he's a strategist, coming to a probably efficient, intelligent plan in mere moments.
"We'll do that then," I say with a grin. "Uh...do you have a map?" He sighs and shakes his head.
"No, as far as I know there aren't any," he replies. I frown, this plan has gotten more complicated. "I only know my way around as I examine my options for emergencies." Oh! That makes it easier!
"Then you're coming with us and leading the way!" I declare.
"If you dare think about hurting anyone you're dead, understand?" Danni adds, proving I really don't want to mess with her.
"Yep," Kuro replies, the calmness almost eerie.

Either he isn't taking her threat seriously, which means that we really need to watch our backs. Or, second option, her threat isn't effective as he doesn't particularly care. Maybe this makes me crazy but the second option is more concerning. I believe that we can all protect ourselves so him trying something may not work. Him not caring means that I could essentially be condemning someone to possible death if we get into a fight that is helping us. I don't say anything though, given everything this is a very complex situation.

We head towards a large cliff of ice. Hidden behind thin a thin mirror of it is a jagged gap in the ice, looking like the mouth of a monster. In short, it is really cool! Within a moment we are flung into darkness and an edge of worry enters me. If none of us but Usopp can see with his goggles, Kuro easily could complete the worry that Danni threatened him with a consequence. Instead there's a sudden stream of light, illuminating of the cave walls with a weird beauty. Unlike a typical torch the gives a bright blue instead of yellow. Plus it is nice Kuro got a torch so we could see instead of killing us.

"So who's in charge of these marines?" Robin asks.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Kuro admits. "He's rather reclusive but rumours do say he has an advantage here somehow."
"Well he's going down," I say, clicking my knuckles. "We need our ship back!" There are some more weird turns and I see what Kuro meant about this place being impossible. If Kuro hadn't come along there was no way we would be finding our way around right now.

Kuro has changed, a lot, since we last saw him. For one he seems nicer, calmer, less obsessed with plans and more on being smart. I mean he was smart before but now that is more at the forefront. Plus his appearance has changed, which makes sense. It has been years and the crew all changed in their two year's training. He's still pale, slim and pretty tall but the height difference is less prominent now. His dark hair is still extremely neat, not a strand out of place, but it is no longer as slicked back and seems to have more length to it. Some of it is tucked behind his ears and overall he is still intimidating and seems to have detached emotions but less so. The frames of his glasses are wider now, his green eyes less narrowed and more like forests or emeralds. I really like green! I wish I had green eyes... He is wearing something similar to the outfit he had before: a white shirt and black trousers with a black tie. The black jacket no longer has the gold and is more ill fitting than the one he had before. What is really noticeable is how exhausted he looks, shadows prominent under his eyes, and it may just be me but he seems more slender than before.

I notice something weird, a cold feeling on my shoulder and I glance at it. A long, thick white thing squirms there, beady red eyes locked on me. Uh. What the heck is this? Kuro glances at it then uses the torch to knock it far away.
"Bad?" I ask him. He nods.
"Very. They're this islands version of a leech but way more dangerous," Kuro replies.
"I thought leeches live in water?" I question.
"Ordinarily, yes. And normally one wouldn't be dangerous to humans," he explains, thankfully not overly complicating it. "This kind thrives from the moisture on ice. One bite can rip chunks of flesh out so if it bit you're throat you'd probably die from blood loss. Even if you didn't, they're venomous."
"Well thanks for not letting it kill me," I say. He gives a light shrug. I like this Kuro more. No trying to kill us, no bragging about his plans. He seems genuinely nicer and I don't think he's planning on killing us after that.

There is a weird sound echoing through the caves but I can't place it.
"We'd better be careful, especially devil fruit users," Danni says. "I hear water."
"Makes sense," Kuro murmurs, glancing up slightly at the cave ceiling. "Most of the caves are directly under the ocean." Oh. That is slightly worrying. Danni's right, as much as I like danger, being careful is a good idea right now. Another left, right, third left, second left, fifth right. So on, so on, keeps cycling round making this place even more disorienting. The cold doesn't help in making this any better but at least it's pretty in a weird way.

I notice, despite the fact that Kuro did stop a leech chomping into my flesh, everyone seems very on edge and everyone (except the non weapon users) have a light grip on their weapons and are giving Kuro wary looks. Unfortunately it is understandable but, honestly, I am starting to feel less on edge.
"This is taking ages," Usopp mutters. "He could just be running us in circles so we never find the ship, get exhausted and then he can kill us!"
"We're about three minutes away," Kuro says, quietly, barely bothering to argue. He does add a fair point. "With that plan I'd get exhausted to." He makes a good point! A very good one! The cave narrows, in places claustrophobic, and the small drops of water make me ever so slightly scared the ceiling is going to give in, fill the cavern with water, and drown us.
"Has this place ever flooded?" Chopper asks, looking up with a wary expression.
"Um, I can't know for sure," Kuro says. "I've only been living here a year and I don't like the caves much. Too cold. I'm guessing so, these caves are old. I don't think they'll flood at the moment though; the ice is too sturdy and cold. The day is freezing." That is relieving news.

The literal light at the end of the tunnel appears around the corner, a brief flash of gold behind another tin sheet of ice. One light punch and it falls apart, leaving us behind a marble building the same colour as the snow piled on the ground in varying poofs.
"That's the marine base?" Sanji asks. Kuro nods. "Wow, these guys get a nice one."
"Apparently they're important ones," Kuro says with a shrug. "Not sure if that is true or not though."
"It probably is for them to get one this nice," Sanji points out. "What's the plan from here?" We all look at Kuro who seems not overly happy with the attention being given to him.
"Well if we find a way to lead some of them away from the main hanger, which is where the blueprints say they keep ships given the connection to the sea, then it'll be easier to get to the ship. It'll still be guarded, but at least to the point that it isn't completely over the top."

"I'll lead them away," Danni says. "I'll turn into a fox and get them to chase me, maybe bite them so they do!" She can turn into a fox? Wow, devil fruits come in all variations. They haven't even discovered all of them so there probably is one for everything. Which does mean the newspaper can occasionally, instead of being entirely dismal, can have some pretty interesting stories and recounts of fights even if they are exaggerated so people keep buying them. Me included because I do like to read. So on with my plan...yay...

So another drawing of Nova. :) Not by me this time because this is digital art and absolutely amazing so full credit to