Wood splintered and bodies jumped out of the way of the battle that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the row of cozy restaurants. "M-My restaurant!" The chef cried, face paling. He had rushed out at the commotion, excited to see which of his competitors was getting shafted with the short end of the stick today. He wasn't expecting that it would be his store. He scowled at the several gleams and smug looks coming from the surrounding chefs. "Oi, just what do you think you are doing at my store?" He shouted, brandishing his chef knife dangerously. His threat going completely unnoticed by the two squaring off. The nearby chefs snickered at the attempt and the head chef felt his cheeks warm.
Kid clicked his tongue, anger rising in him at the expression that met him when he attacked suddenly. She wasn't even the slightly bit surprised. The huntress swung her legs from out under the table and towards the other side of the barrel she was sitting as the wooden table collapsed under Kid's fist. A slurping sound drew his attention towards the mug in her hands. And his thrill doubled.
Charlotte hopped off the barrel and walked away from the unruly pirate, idly sipping the last drops of her drink. She put the empty cup down on another table with a couple of beris, dodging another attempt at her head. "I'm not paying for the damages he caused." She said, acknowledging that she was being attacked but her voice carried no signs of worry or trouble. She paused, and quickly snatched up the glass and coins, narrowly missing the scythe that spun in the air centimeters before her nose.
He's fast. She noted with a frown. Faster than his Captain. "Or him" She added when the table she was at earlier fell over, sliced into two. She dropped off the mug and coins at the patio counter instead.
How did she know? Killer thought, eyes narrowing behind his mask. There was no way she could have seen his attack. Kid had jumped in from the side, but he came from directly behind her. Yet she still managed to dodge it as if she had saw their incoming attacks. He eyed the perfectly fine cup as if it was mocking him.
Charlotte watched the blue and white striped helmet dart between her and the cup she had placed down earlier, understanding the unvoiced confusion and smirked. It was rare to meet a wielder of Kenbunshoku Haki who knew what they were doing in Paradise. She wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time they faced off against someone with this ability.
"I-It's Captain Kid and his right-hand combatant, Killer!" Someone in the crowd screamed followed by cries of 'Worst Generation', 'high bounty', 'dangerous' and the likes as the weaker thieves ran off. Some more experienced hunters stayed a few hundred meters away, watching to see if they were Charlotte's target. If they got even a clue, then they'd know who to steer away from.
The two pirates locked gazes and Kid knew even with the helmet on that Killer was smirking underneath the mask. They had finally found someone worthy to fight.
Charlotte eyed the space patio exit located behind the excited pirate. "Move it. I'm not interested in you."
What? The masses thought dumbstruck. She wasn't interested in the one with the highest bounty?
The insult only fueled his desire to fight more. Kid promised, "Oh, you'll be interested in a moment." He stuck out his right arm, activating his magnetism.
"You're a devil fruit user." Charlotte stated. Objects of all things metallic flew towards the male's outstretch arm, forming together into an even larger arm. One that looked nasty to get hit by. The other's grin split wider at the comment. "Interested, now?"
Platinum eyes met fiery red and her lips twisted in disgust. "The opposite actually." She lowered her stance. Left arm gripping the leather buckles binding her right arm. "I hate Devil Fruit users."
What just happened? was the thought shared by pirates, hunters and kidnappers alike. 'Captain' Kid, with a dangerously high bounty of 315 million beris, stood before the patio he was fighting at just moments prior, glaring angrily at the air. One of his arms stretched out behind him, cuffed to the patio's rails. Scrap metal littered across the floor and the huntress no where in sight.
The battle had ended as abruptly as it had started, with the huntress simply walking off after managing to cuff his arm. And strangely enough, Kid allowed her to walk off. He didn't attack her exposed back with one of the many weapons he had laid around him. No, he simply glared angrily at her as she sauntered off after tossing something shiny into the air.
"... hey, do you think that means we can grab him?" One of the hunters asked peeking his head out towards the unclaimed hunt. "I mean, she did just leave him there."
Another head popped out, also eyeing the unclaimed bounty like it was a delicious meal. "Devil Fruit users... go for Market Price!!" The slave trader member muttered, a slave selling price list in his shaking hands. Never would he had that he could get his hand on such a high bounty and he doubt he ever could, but now fate had mercy on him. "B-Bloody Boa did say she's not interested."
"Incoming!" Heat shouted, breathing fire towards the herd of incoming hunters. "What's wrong with Boss Kid?" He checked over his shoulder to where Killer was already standing by their Captain.
"It's the handcuffs. They're made out of Seastone!" Killer said and the crew were quick to understand what that meant. Seastone were the only substance that cancelled out a devil fruit user's ability and made them weak. They were also as hard as diamonds which made them difficult to break. "Keep them busy, I'll go get the key!" Killer stood to his full height, turning towards where the huntress had walked off earlier and sped off before Kid could stop him.
The loyal dog. Kid scoffed before turning towards the one crew member that easily beat him in height. "Wire," he called, lifting his free hand to point at a grassy spot a few meters away. "The key's over there..." He jerked his chin towards the grassy spot a few meters away. "The damn witch tossed the key before she left."
There really was a key there. Confusion fell on Wire's face as he picked up the tiny steel key. Why did she go through all the trouble of cuffing him just to let him go? "Why did you undo your magnetism mid-fight, Boss?"
Kid rubbed his wrists once they were freed. He glanced at his hand and then at the scrap metal between him and the incoming hunters. "Duck." He ordered to his crew, giving them half a second before he repelled the pieces of metals towards the enemies. The pieces of metal slicing and stabbing whatever was in its way with ease. His ability was working again. He scowled, "The fuck did she do?"
"Boss Kid! Are you trying to kill us?!" His crew shouted, barely dodging the incoming projectiles.
The South Blue Captain ignored their complaints and tested his ability again. Metal gathered towards him, inching closer and then dropping limp. Kid walked over the scrap pieces, hands shoved into pants pockets, no longer interested in them. His ability worked still, which meant that whatever the strange woman did, it wasn't everlasting. "For someone who hates devil fruit users. She was rather damn interested in them." He mumbled. The woman wouldn't shut up with the questions on how his ability worked. He smirked. She was hella interesting though. "Let's go. I'm hungry."
"What about Killer?" Heat asked, pointing a tattooed arm towards where the helmet wearing pirate had ran off.
"What about Killer?" Kid shot back. His crew as by no means weak. Killer's high bounty was proof of it. "He'll find us when he's done or hungry."
"And the woman?"
"I said I'm hungry."
Black beady eyes stared at the brightly lit park with excitement. He wasn't the only one either. Two other pairs of eyes hidden behind a pair of shades or the shadow of a hat also gleamed in excitement. Their eyes tracing the quickly moving roller coaster as it fell with an excited scream coming from the patrons. "Captain!" They chorused, swiveling their heads around, hands clasped together and eyes pleading the silent question.
Law spared one glance at the brightly lit amusement park and glanced away, unaffected. "We're not here to play."
"But the coating won't be done for another while. Can weeee?" They tried again.
Law stared at them blankly. "No."
"Go Bepo!" Shachi shouted, pushing their furry friend before their leaving Captain, expecting them to follow. He stopped.
"Bepo."
"Please, Captain!" The bear stared back at Law, black beady eyes wide and round and Law took a step back, gritting his teeth. They were going after his weak spot.
"Bepo." Law repeated and said bear only stared back harder. His puppy eyes barely sadder. Law sighed, placing a hand over his furry spotted hat. "Fine."
"Yay!" The three cheered, jumping into the air and running off through the front gates as soon as their legs landed. "Hurry up Captain!"
"Yeah, yeah." Despite the words, Law continued his leisurely pace into the park and his crew waited patiently at the door. The doctor paused at the gate, glancing back towards the many tree roots around him. There was nothing there. "Captain, which ride should we go on first?" The voices of his crew drew him back.
"Whichever ones you want." He replied easily and shook off the strange feeling he felt earlier.
Charlotte stepped out from behind the root marked with the grove's number, her expression hidden behind the high ridge of her red scarf. "They're pretty lax for a crew with such notoriety." She muttered and a groan pulled her attention back towards the hunter barely holding onto consciousness. Her gloved hand fisted into his collar. Ah, right. First things first. "Don't forget to spread the news." She reminded with a smile and raised other hand, clocking the guy out. All those targeting her target needed to go.
That should do it. She let the body drop to the floor and sat on one of the resin bubbles that slipped out. Slowly, the huntress floated into the air. A trail of bodies left behind her, hidden away by the tall Yarukiman Mangrove trees.
Crossing her leg and propping her chin on her elbow, Charlotte watched the pirates ride the roller coaster, wide smiles on the faces of the three in boiler suits and a small, suppressed grin on the doctor's. "Is it really that fun for pirates?" Charlotte would have imagined that the adrenaline from their battles would be greater than one created by a vehicle meant to imitate the thought of near death via plummeting through the sky.
Pop.
Ah. Charlotte glanced down at where the resin bubble used to be. She had floated too high and outside of the island unique atmosphere. Charlotte fell from the sky, until another bubble picked her up. The force of her fall allowing her to easily penetrate the bubble's thick skin.
Maybe I should rent a Bon Chari for the day, she thought, pushing her way out of the bubble and back towards the ground. Her stomach rumbled slightly, and she made a note to get some Graman from Antonio on the way. The Heart Pirates weren't going to go anywhere anytime soon anyway.
Charlotte entered the amusement part and turned left. She walked past two giggling females sharing a Bon Chari headed towards the shopping mall. One had short orange hair while the other wore a black cowboy hat over her black hair. "Hey Antonio," Charlotte waved and held up two fingers. "One sweet red bean graman and one grachoco please."
An ear perked at the order, followed by a pair of shining eyes.
"Coming rig—"
"—Hey, what's a Graman?" A voiced called, quickly followed by another, "It smells really good!" The voices came from a Bon Chari that suddenly swived and parked itself next to huntress who had assumed the two to be tourists.
"These are Grand Line Manjuu or Graman for short!" Antonio explained eagerly, liking the excited looks on their face and the promise to purchase in their eyes. "You want to try some?" He pulled out a sampling plate, each marked with different flavours. He pulled a separate box to the side, winking at the huntress to show that he hadn't forgotten about her. His attention returned quickly to the two now popping out of the resin bubble, completely disregarding or not understanding the idea of sampling as they scarf down the bite sized pieces. A child and a pet racoon dog. The sale would be more than easy.
"You see, they got "Grand Line First Half" written on them here, yeah?" He started, explaining the souvenir aspect of them.
"Mmm! So good! So sweet!" Came their muffled yet happy reviews and Charlotte nodded as she took a bite out of the sweet confections. "These really are very good! Do you mind if we open another box, perhaps?" A third voice joined, and Charlotte peeked out of her closed eyes, surprised that she hadn't sense a third body come by.
A scream left her, and she almost choked on the desserts in doing so. "S-Skeleton!" She yelped, pointing arm slowly raising as said skeleton stood back to his full height at the commotion.
"Where?!" The boney man shouted, snapping his head left and right, boney fingers curling against the bottom half of his jaw in fear. He then spotted the shaking finger and followed it to... himself. "Oh, Indeed I am! Yohoho!" The bone man laughed a strange laugh, leaving Charlotte evermore shocked.
"I-It spoke..." She stuttered dumbfounded, falling to her butt.
"Skeleton?! You mean that's not a skull mask?" Antonio shouted, faltering back now as well.
"Nope," His friend confirmed with a laugh. "That's Brook. He died." He added, skipping important details and questions that the two were hoping to get answered. "Hey, so can we open another box?"
Charlotte's attention darted back towards afro wearing skeleton before her and she could peak around at the others at the shop with her. She hoped she wasn't just sharing a meal with a bunch of corpses.
"Apologizes for having frighten a lady like yourself." Brook said solemnly, removing his top hat and crossing one long arm over his front as he kneeled. He offered his hand to assist her back up, sockets where eyes should be staring intently at her wavering form. "'Could I have a look at your pants?"
"Eh?" Charlotte blinked, shock and fear momentarily forgotten by the strange and sudden question. "Why?"
"I would like to know the color."
Charlotte thought back to what she had put on—"You can't tell him!" Another voiced interjected loudly, cutting the huntress' train of thought. She turned to see a mermaid posing as a human. A dangerous and reckless strategy, but Charlotte didn't comment on it.
"I wasn't going to!" Charlotte said back instead towards the green haired woman who sighed in relief at the response. She ignored the offered hand, getting back up to her feet on her own and leaving the skeleton kneeling in shock from being double hit with lack of panties and being ignored.
"Camie! Get back, she's a bounty hunter!" At the mention, the group of strangers next to her tensed and it was then that Charlotte finally got a good look at the crew she had stumbled across. At the signature red vest, stitched scar and straw hat, her mood turned sour. They really did arrive. The Straw Hat Pirates.
Though.... She eyed the tall skeleton man with unease. She didn't recall there being a living corpse as part of their crew.
"Did you eat a devil fruit?" Charlotte asked.
"Yohoho, why how did you know?" He responded almost immediately. "I ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi."
"Why would you just tell her that?" The furry creature with antlers shouted, angrily. Charlotte's tilted her head, does all things on the Straw Hat crew speak? Wasn't he supposed to be like a pet dog or something who ate the Hito Hito no Mi. Charlotte blinked, Right, that's why he could talk.
"Could I perhaps see your pants as a thank you for answering?" The skeleton tried again, and Charlotte brows furrowed together in thought. That meant there were now four members of his crew who were devil fruit users. Wasn't that almost half the crew?!
Charlotte's eyes darted behind her. Her targets were on the move. "Worry not. The Straw Hat Pirates and their friends aren't my targets." Charlotte turned on her heel, walking away from them with an easy wave. Leaving the lot confused.
Since when did bounty hunters walk away from bounties?
Law glanced at the several mangrove roots around them. It had been awfully quiet throughout the latter half of the day.
"Captain," Law turned to Penguin who had his arms crossed and a frown on his face. "This morning we kept getting ambushed, yet we haven't seen one attacker at all since this afternoon. Isn't that strange?"
"Now that you mention it," Shachi agreed with a serious nod. It quickly faded though, "Maybe they finally realized how strong we are and gave up!" He grinned and the bear beside him cheered for their Captain's strength.
"I doubt that is the reason." Law squashed the notion easily and the two hushed quickly. He picked up his sword from the bear and turned towards the striped trees. "Isn't that right?" He called out.
Silence fell between the four pirates, as the three tensed, battle ready at their boss' declaration. But as seconds faded into minutes and nothing happened, the crew grew hesitant and unsure. Even their captain was beginning to doubt the feeling of being watched all day. "I-I know you're out there." He tried again.
"Actually, I'm over here." A voice corrected from behind them. Suddenly and far too close.
"Shachi!" Penguin shouted when the other was shot away. He threw a punch at the female at the same time Bepo aimed a kick to her head from the other side. While showing up this close gave her the element of surprise, it also meant that there wouldn't be enough time to dodge their attacks.
Yet somehow, she had.
"Too slow." She muttered and shoved her gloved palm up at the man's chin, knocking him backwards. She stepped to the side, dodging another attack from the furry fighter and returning the favour with a kick of her own.
"Shambles."
Charlotte glanced at the blue film surrounding them and the new place she had teleported to. She was back just before the striped trees labelling the Grove they were on. "Who are you?" Law asked and Charlotte shrugged. "Does it matter?"
"Where are the other hunters?" Law asked.
"I took care of them. You're welcome." She said though they didn't thank her.
She works alone. He noted, finding the notion somewhat interesting considering the rest of the hunters had groups or worked in pairs at the least. A smart tactic given the rare high bounties that they earned as proof of their strength or at the very least... the trouble they would bring to anyone who gets in their way.
He eyed the woman. She carried herself with confidence, muscles tensed and trigger happy despite their languid conversation. She was either way over her head or had a good grasp of sense of strength. And Law felt that it was more of the latter.
"We don't need the charity." They didn't need her help.
"That's certainly true." Charlotte crossed her leather-bound arms and Law was mildly surprise at her quick agreement. Though his attention was more focused on her choice of gloves. They looked thick and encased both of her arms from shoulder to fingertips. Actually, most of her lithe body was covered up. The only bit of exposed skin was her flat stomach between where her cropped top and cargo pants ended. "But I don't like handicaps." She dashed forward.
Handicaps? He reached for Kikoku. His blade stopped just inches before it would have drew a line across her body, eyes narrowing on their intruder while Charlotte shot to the side.
"It's useless to block my Punishers." Killer announced standing over the female he had forced into one of the several roots. He kept his weight on the blade knowing that it'll trap the now handless woman. He saw her forearms shoot up to block instinctively, though against his blades it was probably one of the stupidest things that could be done.
"I'd agree normally." Charlotte coughed through the smoke and Killer leaped back, surprised that her arms were still in tack. A sliver of metal leaked out from the cuts on the gloves.
A cybotic arm? He thought but shook it off. He's could cut through that too.
She frowned at the cuts and when she looked up at him again, he could see the blame in those platinum eyes on him. Charlotte flexed her right arm and the karambit blade she kept hidden under her glove jumped out, ripping the leather biding with ease.
So, it was a weapon. The pirates noted, while Law attention drew towards her left arm. The second blade still sheathed in the other glove.
"What do you want, Killer?" Charlotte asked, attention focused before her despite the temptation to look at what her actual target was doing. Still, she knew better than to look away when facing one of the Supernovas. Though the thought of the two of them joining forces also worried her but she figured the chances of those were slim to none. If Killer hadn't joined in when she was fighting Kid—his captain—then teaming up with the captain of another crew was off the table. "I told you I wasn't interested in your boss."
"The keys. I'm here for the keys to the Seastone cuffs you put on him." Law's eyes widened under his hat at the shocking news. She had taken down Kid? How? He eyed her thin frame. He doubted she could overpower the man with strength alone.
"The keys? I left them with your Captain." She confessed easily much to both pirate's confusion and surprise. She had explicitly thrown the small key in the air for a reason! He's definitely saw it. Otherwise, she doubted he would have let her leave so easily. Even with his abilities locked away, he had a flintlock strapped to his chest and one free hand. "Did you rush here without talking to your boss first?"
Her lips slant upwards into a sneer. "How admirable. Like a dog wagging its tail for its master." Charlotte's voice thick with mockery. "Hoping to get another treat from your great Captain, lil pup?" The pirates around her glowered at the taunts.