The Puppet Master [One Piece]

Hawk Eye The Pervert

~Shank's POV~

                We'd been docked at the island paradise for nearly a week now and Echo had been making tremendous progress, until I mentioned teaching her to swim. At first she seemed excited about the idea, but after a moment a look of despair crossed her face and she reached for her back as if something pained her. She was hiding something and whatever it was still caused her pain. I'd told the crew I had a really bad hangover so I could get some peace and quiet to think about what had happened with Echo the day before and what she could possibly be hiding.

                Echo set out early in the morning to head to the opposite end of the island to bathe. Her warnings and death threats warded off her fan-club and the rest of the crew from peeking.

                "Did something happen yesterday?" Benn asked me curiously as he took a seat on a nearby log to face me.

                "What do you mean?" I asked nonchalantly.

                "I thought the brat was getting better." Yassop added as he plopped down on a log opposite Benn's, "Why's she being distant again?"

                I shrugged, "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

                "Echo-chan's been gone a long time, what if something bad happened." One of Echo's fan-club members began to panic.

                "She can take care of herself." Yassop shrugged, though there was a hint of bitterness in his tone. I wasn't sure he and Echo would ever truly get along.

                A shrill heart stopping scream broke through the calm forest from the opposite end of the island. My heart dropped, it was Echo.

                "Damn!" I jumped to my feet and raced off in the direction I'd heard her scream. What happened? Was she alright?

                "Echo-chan!" Her fan-club called as they too joined in the search.

                "Stupid brat! You better be alright!" Yassop called as he and Benn caught up to me. Was Yassop actually worried about the girl?

                Benn, Yassop and I broke through a clearing on the northern shore of the island where there was a shallow pool with a trickling waterfall, perfect for bathing, and froze at the sight before us. Echo was standing knee deep in the shallow pool holding a towel in front of her naked body with one hand as the other hand controlled the wires ensnaring her victim whose back was to us. Her long snow white hair was dripping wet and cascading down her delicate frame like frosty whitecaps.

                I forced myself to look away from the enraged girl and turned my attention to her victim. My gaze fell on a familiar cross shaped sword lying abandoned on the ground and realization dawned on me. "Hawk Eye?"

                "You know this perv?" Echo growled angrily.

                "Is that really you, Hawk Eye?" I chuckled.

                "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LAUGHING?!" Echo snapped.

                "I too fail to see the humor in this situation." The surly man caught up in Echo's wires drawled in a bored manner.

                "Shut up, pervert! No one cares about your opinion." Echo snarled.

                "It's okay, Echo, you can let him go." I laughed.

                "It's not okay!" Echo glared at me as she released the surly man from her hold.

                "Why not?" I chuckled as Hawk Eye turned his piercing golden gaze to me.

                "HE SAW ME NAKED!" Echo snapped.

                A faint blush spread across Hawk Eye's cheeks and faded into his dark brown side burns as he made an effort to keep his hawk like gaze anywhere but in Echo's direction. I chuckled as I walked past Hawk Eye and stepped into the pool wading toward the now anxious Echo.

                "What are you doing?" She looked momentarily panicked as I reached her.

                "You'll catch a cold." I smiled faintly as I draped my cloak around her and fastened it at the front, "Are you alright, Echo?" I asked her softly so only she could hear.

                An adorable blush spread across her cheeks. She nodded simply and allowed me to steer her out of the water.

                I handed her off to her fan-club as they surged out of the nearby forest ready for a fight, "All of you take Echo back to camp."

                Echo stumbled after her fan-club still looking a little shell shocked as to what was happening.

                "Young woman." Hawk Eye called after her cautiously.

                Echo froze at the forests edge nearly causing one of her fan-club members to smack right into her.

                "Echo-chan?" The young man asked concerned as the petite girl clenched her fists.

                "About that mark on your back-."

                "SHUT UP!" Echo snarled and spun on her heel lashing out at Hawk Eye with her wires.

                I unsheathed my sword in time to block the plethora of wires before they could tear my old rival to shreds. "Echo, go back to camp please."

                Echo stood her ground glaring back at me defiantly. She could be so stubborn at times.

                I ignored the irate girl and turned to the surly swordsmen dressed in a fancy burgundy paisley patterned shirt with a dark vest opened up in the front to reveal his well toned chest and a gold cross shaped Kogatana. "What brings you here, Hawk Eye?"

                "I ran into an interesting pirate who reminded me of a story you told me long ago about a boy in some little village." He withdrew a wanted poster from his vest pocket and held it up.

                I stared in awe at the beaming face of the young pirate grinning brightly back at me from the wanted poster and couldn't contain my glee. "Well boys, this calls for a celebration!" I cheered.

                "Boss, didn't you say you were too hung over from last night's celebration?" One of the rookies asked curiously.

                "Who cares?! We can't not celebrate! Come on Hawk Eye, you join in too!" I grinned as I draped my arm around the surly swordsman's shoulders and steered him toward the camp only to be cut off by a curious Echo.

                "Echo?" I looked to her inquisitively as she stared at the wanted poster in Hawk Eye's hand.

                She snatched the poster away from Hawk Eye with her wires and inspected it more closely.

                "What's wrong, Echo-chan?" Her fan-club called worried.

                The corners of her rose petal lips pulled into a small smile as she handed the poster back to Hawk Eye, "He's a devil fruit user." She shrugged with a smile dancing across her lips.

                "How did you know that, Echo?" I asked her curiously.

                "I cultivated the Gomu Gomu no Mi." She grinned.

                "WHAT?!" Everyone exclaimed simultaneously causing the petite girl to laugh.