Silver Raven

Midnight Island

   I hadn't realized how stale the air inside the sub smelled until I stepped outside. I was greeted by the pleasant scent of flowers that covered almost every inch of the ground. As we hiked towards the city it was impossible not to crush the them with every step.

"Are these the ones that glow?" Penguin asked while keeping his focus on the shimmering petals.

"Ya, I just never realized how many there are here." I respond while gazing around the rest of the island. It is relatively small, a couple of villages surrounded the main city on one side of the island. While the other side is occupied by a steep mountain covered in foliage. 

"Yuck!" Shachi exclaims while examining the sole of his shoe. "Captain, how come we docked out in the middle of nowhere?"

"There's been a pirate group making this island their base, so the locals aren't very welcoming of pirates." Jean answers for him. As we near a village Hat-kun calls me up to the front of our procession. 

"You see those women down there-ya?" he asks me while pointing to a group of masked figures working in a field.

"Yes, what's your point?" I ask, not following his implied order at all.

"The women on this island all wear masks. It looks like you'll need to buy one so we won't stand out."

"Captain, whether or not I wear a mask, won't Bepo still stand out?" I ask and her returns my question with a smirk.

"I suppose you're right. But we don't need two to stand out." I could tell by his tone of voice that he was just trying to mess with me. I pull my hood up to cover my face.

I raise an eyebrow at him, "Is that better?" he lets out a small chuckle before patting my head. "You know, Trafalgar, I'm not a kid."

"Of course, Raven, I know that" he responds as he offers a playful wink.

"Has anyone ever told you that you suck at flirting?" This time Bepo is who laughs. 

"Was it funny, Bepo?" Hat-kun cranes his neck back at Bepo.

"I'm sorry," Bepo immediately apologizes, drawing a few more chuckles from the crew. As we pass through the village, we receive a couple of wary looks but no one approaches us. When we reach the outskirts of the city, Trafalgar stops and turns to talk to the crew.

"Raven and Train will come with me to meet with my contact here. I want the rest of you to gather any other information you can around the town. We'll meet back here in two hours." The crew all nods in understanding and chatter instantly fills the air. I make eye contact with Train and we begin walking towards the captain in unison.

"If you don't mind me asking. Who is this contact of yours?" Train asks Trafalgar as we begin walking away from the crew.

"He's a bartender named Hawk. I've never met him personally, but a friend of mine saved his life once. So we should be able to trust him-ya." Hat-kun explains as we walk through the city. Compared to the villages, the city is crowded and filled with activity everywhere you turn. I find it difficult to keep up with Hat-kun as he weaves expertly through the mass of bodies.

"Raven, are you not used to crowded cities?" Train asks with a playful tone.

"I guess you could say that," I mumble as I push and shove to keep up with the two. I almost sigh in relief when I see Trafalgar turn into a bar a few feet in front of me. As grateful as I am to leave the crowded streets, I almost choke on smoke when I enter the building. "This place is disgusting," I grumble as I pull the sleeve of my cloak over my nose.

"Ah, I take it that you're Trafalgar!" a muscular man in his late 40s shouts from behind the bar.

"That's Hawk?" Train gawks at the man. I can't blame him. Almost every inch of visible skin is covered in scars. How on earth did he survive all of those injuries? Law nonchalantly walks up to the bar.

"I take it that you're Hawk." 

The man smiles broadly, "That's a smart observation. Let me finish this order then we can talk in the back."