One Piece: A Tale Of Two

chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: TREASURE

"HEY!" A voice could be heard calling from afar, making Luffy and Keiko look.

"HEY, KID! YOU'RE ALIVE!" The mayor appears, stomping around and walking towards them. "HOW COULD YOU SURVIVE THAT!? AND WHEN DID YOU DISAPPEAR!?" He says pointing at Keiko.

"No big deal...?"

"I just walked away...?" Luffy and Keiko answer at the same time, confused by the question.

"BUT HOW? Your body demolishes a building and you walk away without a scratch!? That's crazy!" Nami shouts, glaring at Luffy.

"Crazy is good!" Luffy glares back at her.

"Why did you all come to this town anyway? Why take on pirates?" The mayor cuts their conversation off.

"I just figured out why I'm here! I'm after the map of the Grand Line... And a navigator!!" Luffy grins.

* * * *

The barking of a dog could be heard from a far.

"What's with this dog? Does he think he can stop us from entering that store?" Mohji scoffs speechless at the thought. "You little mutt, don't tell me you're guarding this crummy shop?" The lion growls trying to intimidate the dog in front of him but without success.

On the other hand ChouChou wasn't even faced, he just wanted to protect the shop with everything he had, standing his ground in front of a massive lion. But the lion wasn't having it, so he raises his paw and attacks, scratching ChouChou, blood coming out of his wound, but ChouChou doesn't let that stop him, the memories of his owner makes him jump forward and bury his teeth in the lion's paw. The lion shakes him off, making ChouChou land in the window scratching him more but the thought of his master makes him stand, blood falling through his body.

"My- Oh My! You don't know when to quit! Is your favorite food in there, doggy?" As ChouChou remembers the last time he saw his master he goes forward to face the lion.

* * * *

"I'm going to look for Zoro, I'd better find him before that that weird costume guy does! Keiko!" Luffy tells them, walking away from them.

"Yeah, yeah I know!" Keiko answers him, skipping behind him.

"DON'T TALK CRAZY! Next time, that lion will eat you alive!" The mayor warns him in hopes to stop him, but with no luck.

* * * *

"Stubborn dog bit my arm, I'm bleeding!" Mohji hisses as he sees the blood coming out of his arm. The lion on the other hand eats the food from the pet store.

"What kind of fool would pit a dog against me? Well, he'll never sell pet food in the town again..." Mohji murmurs as he goes away, still on top of the lion.

* * * *

Even though the mayor tried to stop them they walk without looking back, no talking was necessary between them, just by the look of their eyes they knew what they had to do. And so, as they go look for Zoro something caught their eyes and walk to it, Luffy with his hands in his front pockets, while Keiko had her arms behind her head, both relaxed... Till they saw...

"RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!" ChouChou, barking at the flames that were burning his life in front of him.

At that moment they remembered what the mayor said about ChouChou's master and how the dog never wanted to leave its place, they recalled it as they saw ChouChou cry and the bruises it had, the blood... It irritated them.