Their Astronomer

Chapter 5

Once docked on the island, the group set out to look around. Anoki had a tight grip on Nathari as she watched the forest with wary eyes. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes on them and it was making her nerves stand on edge. Ussop was cowering behind the tall woman while she held hands with Nami, who was also cowering. 

"Don't worry you two, I won't let anything happen to the group. I'll protect everyone," Anoki stated with a confident smile, looking the two weaker ones of the group in the face. Luffy and Zoro huffed in annoyance and jealousy for Nami and Ussop were stealing her attention. Anoki walked a little deeper into the forest, not to far from the group, but to where Nami's voice was easy to drone out as she stared at the strange creature. Luffy was the first to notice the first mate not paying attention and skipped happily over to her to strike up a conversation, but the words fell short on his lips as he stared at the creature as well. It was a snake with bunny ears, neither of them were really sure but both of their eyes held sparkles as they continued their gawking.

Luffy's attention was grabbed when Ussop let out a shriek of terror and Nami yelling at him to stop scaring her, but Anoki stared the weird snake in it's eyes, making the snake sweatdrop. She was vaguely aware of the commotion of Zoro falling right asleep and a strange voice speaking to the group, but the bunny snake slithered up to her, up her arm, and made himself cozy draped over her shoulders. 

A gunshot made her whip her head towards her captain and in the blink of an eye she was slashing Nathari out, deflecting the bullet and cutting down a path in the forest. Nami and Ussop screamed and hugged each other in terror while Luffy snickered. 

"Shoot at my captain again and I'll sever your larynx so no one can her your cries of pain as I sell your organs to a certain bird," Anoki calmly spoke, a wild glint in her eyes and a sadistic smirk plastered across her scarred lips. Her dark blue eye focused intently on a bush that seemed to be shaking before it took off. Anoki let out a demented cackle before chasing after the screaming shrub with Nathari spinning in her hands, itching for bloodshed. Luffy ran after them, shouting for Anoki to wait for him. 

"So scary~" Nami whined with crocodile tears streaming down her face with an unconscious Ussop next to her foaming out of the mouth. 

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The trees seemed to bend away from the one-eyed girl as she continued her chase. The snake dangling from her shoulders was now wrapped safely around her throat, gently squeezing to keep from flying off. Luffy was quick to zoom past her and wrap his arms around the shrub, but it continued running with Luffy's arms. 

"I'll see you in a bit Cap," Anoki said in a sarcastic tone as she watched Luffy get flung towards the shrub, both falling off the cliff. An older man's screams could be heard alongside Luffy's cheers of joy, causing Anoki to smirk. Nami soon emerged out of the bushes with a shaking Ussop beside her. 

"Where did Luffy go?" She questioned lightly. Anoki only pointed towards the cliff with Nathari's sharp end. With expert timing, Luffy shot up into the sky with the bush alongside him, both screaming, one in joy, one in terror. 

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Anoki watched with a half-lidded eye as Nami bandaged up the shrub who is a man stuck in a treasure chest. She quietly yawned and leaned back against the rock behind her. She was practically between Luffy's legs as he sat on top of the rock and he affectionately pet her short, dark locks. The snake and Nathari were draped over her lap as she leaned into the soft touch, practically purring. It was an odd sight, but it made Nami bristle in anger and Ussop huff and cross his arms. 

"Hey old guy, are you one of those dolls?" Luffy asked stupidly, causing Ussop and Anoki to let out muffled giggles from behind their palms. 

"Yes I am. It was the day my master left me.....NO YOU DUMBASS! I'M A PERSON!" he shouted with a huge tick mark on his head. Luffy hummed in surprise and continued to stare down the man. Sticks and leaves crackling caught the groups attention, minus Anoki, causing them to look over their shoulders at a yawning Zoro who plopped down near Ussop and stole his pink mug of coffee. He quickly downed it and let out a content sigh before looking around. A startled shriek left his mouth as he pointed at the bush, "The hell is that?! Some kind of doll?!"