COAST - Luffy x Reader

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Longer chapter to make up for my absence!!

It's time for another new face to join the party! Excited for everyone to meet them ;))

Happy reading <333

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Clip-Clop, Clip-Clop, Clip-Clop...

The Doctor's hooves stamp the brick-laid ground, gazing every which way as more and more is revealed to them – The Archeologist walking leisurely by his side. Not taking too much effort to hide himself, though remaining wary, Chopper struts forward in his quadrupedal form; A full-on reindeer wearing a hat, pants and rucksack. Somehow, others found that it was less suspicious than walking around in his default appearance.

There's so much going on, too much. It's for that very reason Robin notices before he does.

"Doctor..." The woman starts, a subtle eagerness in her tone as she raises a slender finger to the sign, a decorative display portrayed mainly by the symbol of a book at its center. "See that? I think that's a bookstore!"

"Really?!" Chopper's head whips forward, excitement bursting in his veins as his mouth opens into a breathy gasp. In record time, the reindeer shoots forward, leaving behind a cloud of dust – Even in the face of his eagerness, however, he waits by the store's entrance, ecstatically looking back to his friend in restless confirmation. "Can we go inside now?!"

Robin laughs at the youngest crew member's enthusiasm, adoring that his thirst for knowledge is enough to prompt this sort of reaction. Still, she can't help but feel a tad exasperated by the strange looks they receive from onlookers, mystified by the quickness of the strange creature who'd drawn too much attention to himself.

"Of course!" So that they might flee the prying eyes, she urges the reindeer onwards. "Let's go inside."

"Today is the best day ever!" Chopper's voice quivers, his squeal rising higher in pitch, wide-eyed and jittery. With that, he retreats behind the doors of the shop, not needing to be told twice.

The Archeologist, smiling tenderly, makes to follow after The Doctor. Ready to get some new tomes for herself – along with the ones that you've requested – She takes only a couple steps, nearing the store's doors.

Then, an elaborately costumed-figure passes her by.

Anyone would've thought nothing of it, and the duo had traversed Water 7 long enough to find that the streets were crawling with these masked figures. Nonetheless, there weren't any quite like this one.

An apparition – A phantom – Soundless in the way their steps don't scuffle at the ground, subtle in the way their lips are hidden from prying eyes. You'd be none-the-wiser to their presence, barely sparing a glance in the nonchalance of it all, not unless you were their designated target.

This was the kind of thing that Robin noticed, stuffed in the masses and forced to constantly listen-in for anything that brought forth danger – She'd percieve it in an instant, if that was the case.

And perceive it she did.

"CP9."

They say nothing else. The word renders her still, all the same.

Robin doesn't move, staring vacantly at the busy streets of Water 7. To her, the people that stood there had now vanished into nothing but a white canvas – Blank faces with features easily forgotten, and it's all so trivial after hearing that one cursed word, because the danger woven between such initialism implicated devastation for the dark-haired woman.