The Start of a Grand Journey

Zeiro pondered for a minute. "He is strong, I'll admit, but he's rather...short tempered as you saw." he said, looking at Dekka. "At any rate, I have nothing else to do, and it sounds like fun. It gives me a chance to go to the Grand Line and explore rather than sitting down and looking all important." He walked up ahead of Dekka and turned around to face him as he walked backwards. "What about you? Isn't there something you wish to do?"

From the broken door emerged the man of icy hair. He mumbled under his breath words that could not be heard but were better kept that way. He reached into his pocket, stumbling around to pull out a pack of generically green-colored pack of gum, unwrapping a piece and tossing the wrapper behind him. He shoved the pieces into his mouth, chewing it over. The flavor calmed his nerves. He stretched out and yawned, scratching his cheek.

"Need a new place to sleep........."

He walked off in a general direction to find some kind of tree or nice bench to lay down on.

"Who, me?" Dekka said to his strange question. "I have nothing at all... I'm just living to protect the people who have shown me kindness in my time of need. And as long as they need me, this is where I'll stay. Even if that wasn't the case, I hate selfish pirates who think they can do whatever they want to pass time."

Zeiro blinked. "I'm sure the people in this village can take care of themselves...they aren't weak, you know." He tried to reassure him. "And I'd find it rather dull if all I did was stay in one town, even if it was for a good cause." He sighed heavily before turning around and slowing his pace until he was next to Dekka. "At any rate, I better find me a place to stay...I'd prefer not to sleep outside when I know I can stay at someone's house." He waves his hand before heading off into another direction.

Dekka closed his eyes lightly in thought. He wasn't wrong, but pirates came to this area often, and he was the one who protected them. He wondered if staying there as their shield was holding them back from being truly strong. The thought haunted him as he started to walk towards his home.

Next Day...

This morning was rather lively than usual. The reason for this was that people around the village were trying to help fix Makino's bar up from yesterday's pirate incident. Zeiro let out a small yawn, using his mouth to cover it, as he entered the bar in the mist of repair.

"Morning, sleepy head." Makino said with a smile as she laid out some food for him as he sat down. "I hope the mayor wasn't being a burden."

"Better than the last time I slept at someone's house." He muttered tiredly as he started to eat. Clearly he was not the morning person.

Dekka was helping with the repairs as well. He hadn't been able to sleep as the man's words haunted his mind. He placed his hand on a hammer, but his lack of sleep showed and his hand became diamond without him wanting it to. I broke the wooden hammer apart.

A man saw Dekka's expression and what he had done. "You don't look so good, Dekka. Get enough sleep last night?"

Dekka shook his head lightly and said, "Not really... does it show that much?" The man gave a small chuckle and said, "Its always the same when you don't get your rest. Let us handle this. Go and relax yourself. Go on, shoo." Dekka gave a small sigh and turned to leave, knowing that fighting about it would lead to more problems.

"Dekka!" Makino called out his name as she walked up to him, holding out some breakfast. "Here, you must be hungry. Don't worry about the money, it's on the house."

Zeiro glanced over at the green haired man, sensing something a bit...off. ~What do I know...? I just met him yesterday.~ he determined as he raised his fork to eat the food, only to stop. He closes his mouth and looks at the door way only to see nothing. He narrowed his eyes, getting an uneasy feeling as he continued to eat.

Dekka too the food with one hand, smiling as he nodded lightly. "Thank you, Makino," he said lightly as his hand shook a bit. He was trying all he could to keep his hand from changing again. He turned and went to an area where he could sit down, about three seats away from Zeiro. He started to eat slowly as he couldn't help but sigh out in thought.

Zeiro glances at Dekka as he sat down, seeing the small quirks that he made showing something was bothering him. "Is there...something wrong, Mr. Dekka?" He said, getting slightly worried something was wrong with him. "You don't seem very...active, I would say."

"There we go." A few last hammer strikes placed a brand new wall on the bar. The carpenter removed a few nails from his teeth, handing them to the man assisting him. He ran his hands through his icy hair, placing his hammer on a loop on his belt. He stretched his shoulders and looked to the bar's owner. "Free of charge. I kind of owe you for it." He placed his hands on his sides and said nothing more as he sat door on a new chair in the corner, crossing his arms and legs and closing his eyes.

Dekka turned to the man, giving a small glare before he realized who it was. He closed his eyes lightly and said to him, "I'm just having an off day... Something to relax me will help, and then I'll be alright..." He looked out at everyone working hard and fixing what was broken. "I should be helping them... but I never got a handle of these abilities of mine..."

Zeiro blinked before smiling slightly as he turned to face in front of him. "I actually tried to help last night, but the villagers jsut shooed me away, saying that it was more than enough to give them the money to get the tools." He said as he took a cup and swirled the water inside of it. "As for your pwoers...all I can say is practice. You'll get a handle of them eventually."

Dekka closed his eyes again and lightly said, "I know there's not a lot of ways I can practice here, but that doesn't mean you can convince me to leave that easily." He picked up a mug that had coffee inside of it, drinking it down a bit before he set it down. "What would happen to this place if I just left? And what would I do without a reason to use them anyways?"

"Did I ever say anything about you leaving?" Zeiro muttered as he drank the water. "At any rate, you can just practice transforming your body little by little...at least, basing it off of the man who has the same power as you. He uses it more as a defensive maneuver than offensive like you do." He set teh drink down and crossed his arms, slightly leaning back. "Like I said yesterday, these people aren't to be taken so lightly...and I've heard that Vice Admiral Garp will be coming down here anyways so you wouldn't need to worry for a bit."

"Vice Admiral, huh? Dekka said, turning to him. "That's why you're trying to leave so soon. Pirates and the Marines don't quite mix." He gave a small grin as he moved his hand to the coffee and drank the rest of it. "We'll see what happens... Don't go too far, because if you're really right, I might change my mind about leaving this place. I can't practice my powers of mine in a place like this. Too much collateral damage."

"You keep calling me a pirate. I'm rather hurt." Zeiro chuckled. "Actually, there's a more...personal reason why I'm trying to avoid him. Let's just say...I know how strong he is first hand..My head still aches from the punches he gave back when I was a kid." Just by saying that, he instintively rubbed the back of his head as if he was hit. "It's solely your choice. On another note..." He glances back at the entrance. "Is it just me...or is there something off going on somewhere outside?"

Dekka turned to the open door and looked outside. He couldn't tell before, but now that he was more awake he could definitely tell something wasn't right. "Yeah... something's wrong," he said lightly. He stood up quickly, rushing to the door. He wanted to be sure nothing was happening to the town or its people.

Zeiro narrowed his eyes as he quickly followed Dekka out the door. With so many villagers helping out fixing the bar, it was no wonder there wasn't anyone shouting about something as they arrived at the shoreline.

"Coby!" Said a rather husky, female voice. Zeiro slowed down and his eyebrow raised, seeing a...rather large female's back facing them as well as a whole mess of pirates facing her. "Who's the most beautiful pirate in the entire world?!" A shudder ran through Zeiro's body at the voice, finding it hard to believe it belonged to a woman.

"Y-You are...Miss Alvida, ma'am..." replied a nervous boy with a pink bob hair and glasses. For some strange reason, none of the pirates noticed Dekka and Zeiro standing pretty much in their line of sight.

Dekka blinked lightly as he had no way to believe what he was seeing. That... woman... was a pirate? Beyond that, she was ordering someone to call her beautiful, the worst crime to truth imaginable. He glared as he whispered to Zeiro, "Are these friends of yours? If not, I'm going to get them out of here."

"Are you kidding me?" Zeiro hissed back softly. "I've been telling you over and over that I wasn't a pirate...why in the world would I be friends with them?!"

"Miss Alvida, look!" one of the pirates shouted, pointing at the two men. The large woman turned around, causing Zeiro to physically filnch back. It can be simple to say that she was more larger width wise than her height, as if she was squashed to this size. Wearing a pink shirt, blue jacket, and white hat with a red feather, she looks between Dekka and Zeiro before slamming her iron club against the ground.

"Well, well, well..." she said with a sly grin....or more of a creepy grin. "Looks like we got ourselves some rather good looking men. What do you two say about joining my crew, huh?"

Dekka turned with a wince as he saw the woman's face. He turned back to her slowly and yelled out, "I'd burn in hell before I joined a crew with you in it! I'd rather join the pirate next to me than do that!" He had one of his fists clenched, ready for whatever was to come from what he said. "You should turn and leave while you still have the chance..."

Every one of the pirates as well as the boy named Coby just looked at them with wide eyes and gaping mouths. A shadow was cast over Alvida's eyes as a vein appeared on her rather largh face, gripping her club tightly as she glared at Dekka.

"Oh dear..." Zeiro muttered. "Looks like we're in troubke..."

"YOU'LL REGRET SAYING THAT TO ME!" Alvida yelled as she jumps up surprisingly high and brings down her iron club on top of Dekka.

Dekka raised his arms upward in an attempt to block the iron club. Everyone around him had to think it was just a failed attempt and a quick way to lose arms, but Dekka simply gave a light grin. The water rippled as the blow connected, and Dekka merely said, "Is this your version of power? Its far too weak to break my guard..." Upon seeing the man, his arms were both made of pure diamond and were blocking the iron club perfectly.

Alvida's eyes widen as she saw her iron club blocked with ease. Suddenly, a sickening 'crack' was heard and the club broke in half as the large woman slammed ont othe ground. All the pirates wer in shock, seeing their captain's main weapon easily destroyed by some brat.

"Well now...I'll just leave the lady with you, Mr. Dekka." Zeiro said as he outstreched his arm in front of him and opened his hand as if he was grabbing something. Suddenly, his staff that he used yesterday just lept out from the ground and into his hand. With a simple twirl of his staff, he rushed off towards the group of shocked pirates, swinging his staff around and sending many of them flying back into the water.