One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Ninety-Nine: Fake Marine

Kuro
Another island, hopefully another adventure since I no longer have the damn stupid cast. That means if someone pisses me off enough I can now kick them if I want to. Plus I was so done with the damn crutches. I jump off into the boat, onto the sand.
"Kuro maybe take it easy since it only just heale-" Luffy begins but I am not in the mood for a safety lecture so just begin walking towards town. "Hey, wait!" He catches up but given I tend to walk pretty fast he is half jogging to keep up. "Just gonna ignore anything to do with not getting hurt?"
"Pretty much," I confirm. He huffs. "Luffy, 'safe' is a synonym for dull."
"I thought synonym was a spice..." he mumbles, looking adorably confused and I try to suppress a smile because I don't want to be mean.
"You are thinking of cinnamon," I say. "A synonym basically means another word for."
"Ohhh..." he says, frowning slightly. Then grins. "You're like a dictionary!"
"Uh...is that a good thing?" I ask. He nods. "Then thanks?" I guess?

We get into town and frown, quickly ducking behind a corner. The crew stop when they see our reaction.
"What's going on?" Sanji asks us.
"This place is packed with marines," Luffy says. Like EVERYONE here is a marine." They peek around the corner.
"That complicates things," Robin comments. "I doubt anyone will sell to us, especially as how we're very recognisable." I consider.
"What if we steal marine uniform and pretend to be marines to buy supplies?" I suggest. That wouldn't be that hard.
"We would still get recognized: we are pretty famous," Luffy murmurs. I consider.
"Then I'll go," I say. "Sure, my bounty has gone up but I always tend to be not noticed given I operate more in the shadows."
"And if they do recognise you?" Usopp says. "You'll be completely surrounded."
"I'll still crush most of them," I say, airily. "And if they are all really good I'll just go through a wall. We need supplies somehow and if we can avoid drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves then we should."

They agree but people do look worried. I go to one of the supply areas that also stock spare uniforms. I put it on, glare at my reflection because how stupid I look, and head back to the others.
"Well?" I ask.
"Well I nearly attacked you thinking you were a marine so yeah, effective," Usopp says, grinning. "Although you need the cap." I'm still holding that, because I wanted to wait until the last minute to put it on because it is so stupid.
"Marine uniform does suit you...although all the white does make you look like even more of a ghost," Luffy comments. He takes the cap off me and puts it on my head. "Maybe they'll all think you're a dead marine and you'll scare them into getting stuff." I know he is joking but that would be a possible idea if I wasn't trying to blend in.

I head off, blending in somewhat, and go to the fruit and veg shop, skimming through the list and putting things into the basket.
"I haven't seen you here before," the shop person comments, who also has a marine uniform, putting it all into a paper bag.
"Oh, my ship sank and I got lost here," I lie but that is something that has happened to me before so if he asks follow up questions then I don't have to think of excuses.
"That is an awful situation," they say. "You do look familiar though..." Uh oh.
"Well a lot of people do look like me," I say with a shrug. "Thanks for the help: I'd better head off and get some more supplies." I leave and one I shut the door I take a breath of relief. That was a close one. This is gonna be risky.

I adjust my hair slightly as I head to the main shop so the fringe hides my features and also fiddle with the hat so that is also hiding me somewhat. I get everything we need which is a lot, especially of meat and head to pay. As I leave the shop I think I have gotten away with it when a hand closes around my shoulder and slams me against a wall.
"Hmm?" I ask, wincing slightly. It's the guy from the fruit and veg shop.
"I knew you looked familiar," he seethes. "Black Cat."
"No idea what you are talking about," I lie. Huh. Still being called that despite it being over three years. Weird.
"Liar," he says, holding up my latest bounty poster which is a lot less weird than my old ones and is undeniably me. "Because of you, I was demoted!"
"Huh?" I ask, perplexed. I don't recognise this guy. He tightens his grip but I pull free, clenching my fists slightly. My swords would have stood out too much so I am unarmed but at least I can fight without them.

He tries to punch me but I just side step, considering using the heavy shopping as a weapon. It is certainly bulky enough. Then I recognise him. Oh. He deserved it!
"Now...I would do my job and hand you over but killing you myself would be much more enjoyable and satisfying." He swings a blade to my throat so I just side step again.
"Too late for that," I lie, deciding to try what Luffy said. "I'm already dead." I sink into the wall partly and go through to the other side. I then go through again after putting the shopping down. He is looking around, confused, and I don't think he fell for it but is at least considering it. I swing an elbow into the side of his head, knocking him out, where he crumples to the floor. He said killing me would be satisfying? No. That was satisfying.

I head back to the others with all the shopping, including fabrics and beading Nova said he needed to add some final touches to the dress.
"We might want to head off," I say. "I knocked someone out but they recognised me." Luffy and Sanji help me with the bags so I am not packed like a packhorse and we begin to head off.
"So where did they recognize you from?" Luffy asks.

I give a brief summary of how we met. It was mere weeks after I had escaped from Keizo and wasn't quite the evil piece of shit yet. I was too dreary, lost, wondering how to stop getting hurt. I was still on the Grand Line and somehow the worthless marines found out what Keizo had been doing to me and so gave me a bounty over it given my powers made me an 'evil threat'. Yeah...technically a kid and was evil for being tortured and experimented on. Poor logic. He ambushed me and back then was a captain in the marines who apparently had a flawless record for capturing whoever he was told to. He brought a lot of happened to the surface and tried to catch me. I snapped and managed to beat him, tying him up and stealing his boat. He already had the cat theme of it so that was one less thing and I left him somewhere he'd be found so he didn't dehydrate or stave. I guess being beat by a still injured kid isn't good on your reputation.

"Huh..." Usopp says. "You really can't catch a break can you?"
"Not really," I say, sheepishly, and smile slightly. "Things aren't bad these days anymore."
"Except for us nearly killing you," Luffy mutters. I huff.
"Not your fault," I remind him. "So stop blaming yourself, okay?" He doesn't look convinced but I think he figures that I will not stop this argument if he doesn't. When it comes to Luffy I can be pretty stubborn given he is probably the best thing to ever happen to the world.

We head back to the ship and I sit by the railing and Tempest pads over, rubbing her small head against my hand until I stroke her.
"Is Tempest coming to the wedding?" Danni asks, hopefully. "I doubt she'd run off given how much she loves you."
"Do you and Usopp want her to come?" I ask.
"Yeah!" Usopp says. "She is part of the crew, after all."
"Okay then," I say with a smile, stroking Tempest behind the ear. "I'm guessing it is soon then?" Usopp nods.
"As soon as we get to the right kind of island, we're going to do it," he says. "Well give a day or so to set up but yeah, besides that next island." Well it is lucky I got the set up supplies then.

They head off and I get Tempest's food then stare at her as she puts her face under the running tap as I try to put some water in her bowl.
"Huh..." I say because normally cats don't like water. Especially cute little kittens."
"I think your cat is broken," Sanji comments, coming over and I nod, switching off the tap to her chagrin. "Did you get the supplies for the cake?"
"Mhm," I say, passing over an extremely bulky and heavy bag. "So an ocean theme?" A good prediction with all the food colourings, chocolate shells and pebbles and more. He nods; makes sense given how much we're on the sea. This wedding is nearly impossible to go wrong now.