Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

50

Walking through the streets of the town which was situated at the base of the large cacti surrounding it made for a rather tense atmosphere. People stared at the crew as they walked, silence falling over everything as all eyes turned to them, looking them up and down.

Akira couldn't help the way her hands lingered at her belt, ready to grab for a dagger or more should the need arise the longer the silence went on. But then, as if the world shifted and turned as quickly as one blinks, the strangers and townspeople looking at them started to smile. And wave. And cheer. They seemed friendly and welcoming and excited about their presence among them.

"Is it me," Usopp started to question it first, the confusion and surprise clear in his tone. "Or is everybody happy to see us?"

"That's definitely different." Nami was far more hesitant at the sight of the crowd than their captain, who now started to wave back and smile widely at the townspeople greeting them.

"Well," Sanji was quickly coming around to the optimistic side as two girls crossed the street in front of them, both sending him coy smiles that had his eyes following them intently. "They say things are different in the Grand Line," he reminded his crew while he turned after the girls, no longer even looking where he was going until he crashed into the person ahead of him. "Sorry," he muttered out sheepishly as he helped Akira stay on her feet while she shook her head at him in amusement.

"Maybe they love pirates here," Luffy offered up a possible explanation.

One that Nami didn't quite agree with. "I said different, not backwards."

"Did I hear you say that you're pirates?" A men stepped out from the crowd, walking to the centre of the street and bringing their own group to a stop as he stepped in front of them. His eyes took them in, scanning from one face to another while they watched him.

"Luffy, play it cool," Usopp muttered to the captain in warning.

"Yeah," Luffy nodded as he answered the man. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy and I'm gonna be King of the Pirates." He extended his hand to the man, happily introducing himself.

"As cool as it gets with him, I guess." Akira shrugged over at Usopp as they watched the man, quite official looking in his suit and the large, curled wig on his head. His eyes looked at Luffy's hand for a moment and then back at the crew, making them grow more worried now the longer their captain was left standing without a handshake.

But then, as the man looked at him again, a wide smile split his face and instead of shaking it, eh took it one step further as he grabbed Luffy, enveloping him in an overly friendly hug that lifted the boy straight off his feet. "Wonderful news!" He called out, now showing himself to be just as happy as the rest of the townsfolk. "Here in Whisky Peak we simply adore pirates."

"Ha!" Luffy exclaimed proudly, turning to the crew and pointing a finger at Nami. "Told ya!"

The man coughed now, bringing their attention back to him as he out a few noises that first started like clearing his throat and grew into fully operatic singing before he spoke again. "My name is Igaram," he introduced. "And I'm the mayor of this humble town." Igaram dipped into a small bow of respect. "I would like to extend to you all our warmest welcome."

"I'm sorry," Nami spoke to him, brows furrowed and the confusion all over her face as she found herself unable to poke into what was being said. "Did you say you love pirates?"

"Why of course," Igaram said, like it was the most normal thing. Even though it certainly was not. "Everyone knows no one loves tales of adventure like the people of Whisky Peak," he shared. "That and we're one of the first stops on the Grand Line," as he spoke, the man took Luffy by the shoulders as he began to lead them onward, "so we found that welcoming pirates is a lot easier than fighting with them."