The Straw Hat’s Crew p.o.v - Zoro again.
We followed Azmaria to Myra’s shop. One thing I don’t get is how she shortens her name from Azmaria to Rune. Then again, it’s not my business. Ugh, Luffy acts like a child. He was pointing at anything and everything. Just because we’re in a new town doesn’t mean that everything is 100% new. It was just like any other town. Eventually, we came into the shop. We were so hungry and the room was filled with the smell of food. We sat at a four chaired table, waiting to eat. At least, I was anyways.
“Hey Myra! You have some new guest’s that want to eat!” Azmaria called out for.
In a moment, Myra came out, fixing her bandana. She came by to see what Azmaria meant by guest’s, and her eyes grew a little bit wide.
“My word, it’s been years since I saw new faces. So, what’ll it be?” she said.
Nami and I were looking and the menu and Luffy gave that ridiculous grin of his without even looking at the options.
“Everything on the menu! I want to eat meat too!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, which wasn’t necessary because we were right here. Nami looked at Luffy like she wanted to yell at him, but luckily for him, her hunger restrained her from doing so. Unluckily, however she did hit it really hard in the head. I sighed, why did I have a brainless idiot for a captain? Upon hearing that we wanted to eat anything and everything, Myra went to go cook.
“So, you’re all travelling together?” Azmaria asked, starting a conversation with us to kill the time we had to wait.
“Yup! We’re pirates heading to the grand line! That’s where I’ll be named king of the pirates!” Luffy announced.
“That’s a big dream Luffy. I hope you’ll be able to live up to the expectations of it. You know, by the time you get there, I bet you’ll have one very odd crew. For example, how you seemed to get a deadly pirate hunter to join you is beyond my comprehension. But you know; you three are the luckiest people in the world…” Azmaria encouraged, though her smile vanished.
Something about her was making you feel her pain if she had any. It was like she longed to escape but can’t. Something is keeping her captive here. We all realized easily. Then, breaking the awkward silence Myra had come with the food. Most likely Azmaria’s sorrow is still on Luffy’s mind, even though he’s focusing in the food.
“Order’s up!” she shouted cheerfully, putting the plates of food on the table.
With wide eyes, Azmaria looked up at the clock. Hurriedly, she placed money on the table and headed for the door.
“I got to run! I’ll see you soon. Later Myra.” She called out for, running out of the shop.
Myra sat in her spot and sighed, with worry and concern engulfing her. While we were eating she stared up at the sketched picture right beside the clock Azmaria was looking at. It looked like the exact entrance of the shop.
“Can you tell us something about Azmaria?” Luffy asked, swallowing his food.
“She drew that picture didn’t she?” Nami added. “You look at it the way you look at her”
“Right on the dot there, miss.” Myra answered “In a way, Rune’s a lot like you three.”
“What’s with the name ‘Rune’ and how is she like us? What’s she like?” Luffy re-asked impatiently.
“Azmaria’s mother was named Luna and Lune her nickname. She couldn’t pronounce it right while her parents were alive, but her father called her that anyways. Azmaria is the spitting image of her so when she died, so everybody calls her Rune in memory of her mother. Rune is just, an angel with the Devil’ strength. You name it, she can write, draw, cook, clean, play music, fight, shoot in targets, an acrobat! She’s always wanted more than anything, to see the world. There’s only one thing that keeps her from crossing the borderline between the rest of this world and Cyral Island. Adventurous, brave, strong against all but one.” Myra briefly explained.
“Myra, why did Rune consider us to be the luckiest people in the world?” Nami asked.
“Because, you guys are free whiles she’s wrapped up in locked chains. Did you guys see that ‘x’ on her cheek? That wasn’t there this morning. It’s HIS entire fault. HE slashed her. She’s put up with it for so long now and nothing has changed… She lives with her abusive uncle ever since her parents died.” She said, sadly.
“Is that why she left?” I asked.
“But, how come she didn’t run away Myra?” Luffy asked, concerned.
“He took her most prized possession away from her. It’s something very important and dear to her. She can’t leave until she gets it back. Unfortunately, nobody has seen it for years. Her uncle knows that’s the only thing that keeps her in his control.” Myra explained, holding back tears that were starting to flow through. “She doesn’t deserve this treachery! All everybody wants is for her pain and sorrow to be at ease. We’re all so useless, not being able to help in any way. She’s so amazing, having to bear with this everyday and still be able to show her true smile.”
Nami was helping the sobbing food shop owner calm down. I looked at Luffy, who had a determined look in his eye. That could only mean one thing. He slammed his hands on the table to make his announcement. There was something about Rune that just made us need to help her. “Then it’s decided! We won’t leave until she finds whatever it is that she’s looking for! She’s the next member of this crew! Let’s go into town and start searching!” he shouted.
He ran out the door, with me and Nami pulling him back in because he forgot one very crucial piece of information. He has no clue what the heck he’s looking for. Myra told us that it was a pocket watch. A solid gold, hand-crafted pocket watch. Getting that was the last time she ever saw her parents because they went to go do a job and died on the boat leaving the Island. Rumor was that a bomb was planted on the bottom. NOW, we can actually start our search. The three of us split up in different directions to cover more ground. If we slack off, Nami and I will never hear the end of it from Luffy. He won’t stop until Rune because one of us now, not that any of us are arguing with him.
Azmaria’s p.o.v
Man, I can’t believe this! They want me to join their crew… I thought to myself as I walked along the docks. That was when I unexpectedly saw my uncle there! I hid behind the closest wall to hear what he was talking to Archie about. Archie is Cyral island’s top blacksmith.
“What?! You’re nuts and a half man! That’s Azmaria’s pocket watch that I helped her father make twelve years ago! I am not going to demolish her treasure! Give that back to her now! It’s the only tie she has left from her parents…” I overheard Archie yell at me uncle. He tried to reach for it, but my uncle kept it out of his reach.
“My watch!” I whispered to nobody, shocked and stunned.
“Too bad, I was going to give you a lot of money to get rid of this junk” he said, scowling.
“How dare you call my treasure, junk!” I whispered to myself, furiously.
With my most prized possession still in his clutches, he left. I ran to Archie. He was resting his forehead in his palms, shocked. I placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Rune! It was right there Rune! And I didn’t get it, I’m so stupid, I should’ve gotten it when I had the chance to, but he’s gone…” he starting murmuring, bringing himself down.
“It’s alright, ‘cause tonight I’m getting it back.” I said, soon running in my uncle’s direction.
I didn’t see where he turned which stopped me to think carefully. Not a moment sooner was I accidently knocked into the ground. By accident, of course. No amount of gravity in the world could keep me balanced sometimes.
“Oh, it’s you Azmaria!” I heard the straw hat pirate say while getting up, extending a hand for me to take. “Guess what? We decided you’re going to be in my crew! Myra told us about you. You’ll be our story writer! But Nami says I have to call you a chrony-something. Of course we still need a cook and a musician…” he started listing off the ideal crew.
“A chronicler.” I corrected. I don’t see why he needed me or a musician, but I wasn’t one to question the captain of all people.
“Yeah, that’s it! So, do you know where your watch is?” he asked.
“As a matter of fact, Luffy-Luck, I saw it again for the first time in years!” I said, making his name a pun from lady luck. “See that man?” I said, pointing to my uncle that I saw once again. “He has it. Let’s tail him Luffy!”
“Why does he have it?” Luffy asked, as we kept our distance from him.
“He tried to get the blacksmith, Archie to destroy it.” I replied, sadly. “I was so relieved that Archie refused.”
“That rotten jerk!” Luffy exclaimed, balling his hands into fists.
We followed him into the night, where he unexpectedly walked into Cyral cave. He dropped my watch and started stepping on it! He threw it everywhere and smashed rocks into it. I was devastated. Tears formed, slowly streaming down as I couldn’t say I word. Luffy right next to me was furious. He placed his hat on my head and approached my uncle.
“Hey you, rotten jerk!” he yelled, at a distance from my horrendous uncle.
I thought my eyes played tricks on me, but the next thing I knew, Luffy’s arms stretched and he was hurting my uncle, coming closer to him with each step. I never thought I would see the day when somebody brings down my uncle. Punches were flying from all directions, and my uncle was eventually knocked out. Luffy carefully picked up my pocket watch, dusting it off. He walked slowly towards me, and gently placed them in my hands. Dented, scratched, and the glass was broken, but it was still mine. Still here. It was no major damage that can’t be overlooked. Come to think about it, before I lost it, it did need a battery change. But it was mine, in my hands. For good. I remembered it being heavier. As the last of my tears flowed out, I hugged Luffy. He took back his hat and patted my head. Pulling away from him, he wore his usual chipper grin.