Big Things in Small Sizes (One Piece Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: New Clothes Wouldn't Hurt

Sailing on the seas for three months was definitely an experience for Hattie. Being a pirate wasn't as easy as it seemed. It took much responsibility, something she wasn't familiar with. Then again, it was only her and Lucius doing everything under the sun. Finding crewmembers deemed harder than expected. Taking care of a ship like theirs required about four people. Once when they were out on a run for supplies, they came back to find smugglers trying to steal their ship. Lucius overpowered them with ease, but next time will likely be the last if they didn't find anyone who could stay to look after the ship.

         Despite the heavy responsibility and lack of extra hands, Lucius was delighted to say that having Hattie around was the greatest. She acted as if being a pirate was in her blood. He shamefully admits that she does more work than he. He'd also held up to his comment of her having potential, so after a week of her staying they began to train in the art of swords. Her little daggers weren't going to last long. She got rid of them and turned to some swords she took from a marine. One minute they were worn proudly around his waist, and the next they were snatched by an unsuspecting pair of tiny hands. Lucius began training with the basics, which was working on her stance. Then, it went to learning how to balance her bodyweight in battle. The swords were a little heavy for her, though she was strong for someone so small. The following weeks of training progressed only to proper technique. Lucius wanted to take it as slow as possible, because he felt she deserved to be taught the correct way.

         It was now around mid-day when Lucius decided Hattie could spar with him. She had come along really far in the past couple of months. It's been around two days since they've trained. Hattie was sitting on the deck, stacking a bunch of coconuts together. Lucius never understood why she was fascinated with them. He opens the door from below deck, and inhales the fresh air. He still bore his scabbards, and he stops when he sees Hattie with her back turned. He smirked and quietly shut the door. Walking without a sound, he stood behind her, trying not to laugh.

         "I'm gonna name this one Charlotte, and this one Samwise. No, maybe Buttcrack..." She mutters, taking three coconuts and putting them to the side. "Or Weedsickle..."

         His nerve was breaking. Lucius mimed laughing without sound. He clutched his stomach, bending over. He finally got a hold of himself, and kneeled down behind her silently. He put his lips close to her ear.

         "Fedoras." He whispered, enunciating every syllable.

         Hattie screams at the top of her lungs, knocking her coconuts around. They roll in different directions across the deck as she comically shoots up into the air and lands a couple of yards away, landing on her feet. She grabs coconuts and starts throwing them in random directions with her eyes closed.

         "WHERE!? WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE?! SHOW YOURSELVES!! DEMONS OF HATTERY!!" She screeches.

         Opening her eyes, she whips her head from side to side. She turns around, and hears Lucius's loud laughter. Her eyes widen in realization as she watches him roll around the deck, tears falling down his red face. She gasps and stamps her foot childishly, face scrunched up in rage.

         "LUCIUS! YOU B*****D!!" She throws coconuts at him.

         He continues to laugh, shakily pushing himself off the deck floor, and catches a coconut. He wipes his face with his sleeve, sighing happily. He tosses the coconut behind him.

         "Y-You really shouldn't have t-told me of your fear." He chuckles.

         "Bah! You're a jerk!" She pouts her lips, crossing her arms. "I'm not talking to you for two weeks!"