One Piece (Love Story) [Part Two]

Chapter Three Hundred and Four [Rewritten]

-Chapter Three Hundred and Four-

"Sounds like fun" Brook and Chopper smiled, seemingly agreeing with the captain's suggestion.

"Looks like the captain's not the only one wanting to go back to that amusement park" I chuckled. "Though I wouldn't mind going as well, it sounds like you all had fun during your visit" I grinned.

"We did! You would have loved it, Skylar!" Luffy laughed.

"Not you too!" Usopp and Franky snapped at the three of us for agreeing with the captain.

-Later-

"But the best part of this place to hide is the amusement park!" Luffy tried to argue, still keeping at this disagreement he and the rest of the crew have been having since we left Shakky's bar.

"You know, you're so full of it" Nami frowned.

"You just want to screw around and have fun" Usopp accused.

"Of course, why else would he be suggesting we hide out there?" I chuckled. "But who knows? Maybe he's right and the amusement really is the best place to hide" I grinned with a shrug.

"See! Skylar agrees with me!" Luffy brightened.

"Don't encourage him..." Zoro grumbled, causing me to laugh...though my smile soon dropped as we came to a sudden halt. Usopp's scream was the first to break the overwhelming and tense silence that had settled around us as we stared wide-eyed up at Kuma who now blocked our path.

"No...it can't be..." Nami's muttered in horror.

"Who is this guy?" Luffy questioned, confused by our reactions and responses to seeing the Warlord. "Who the heck are you?" he asked once again when he didn't receive an answer right away.

"Get back, Luffy!" Usopp shouted.

"He's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!" Nami warned him.

"He is? How do you guys know that?" Luffy asked as he looked back in confusion.

"Huh?" I tilted my head as Kuma removed his glove and turned his hand towards us...though instead of a paw pad as I expected, it was just a gaping hole in the center of his palm.

"Luffy, don't let that attack hit you! It's a shock wave!" Sanji warned.

"I don't think that's what it is..." I shook my head. I was confused...

Was this really Kuma?

It looked like him, but with the lack of paw padding...it was hard to say. It was at that moment that a bright light suddenly started to emit from the hole in Kuma's hand before a yellow beam shot out and towards our captain who quickly dodged it. Everyone dropped to the ground, the force of the impact and the explosion that followed enough to cause my hair to whip around and a harsh ringing sound to emit from deep within my ears. All I could hear at the moment was the muffled voices of my crewmates as they gaped at the sudden and unexpected attack.

"Hey, you lied!" Luffy frowned, his voice the first one I heard as the ringing in my ears started to settle. "That wasn't a shock wave!"

"That was..." Chopper thickly swallowed.

"A beam!" he and the captain sparkled in amazement—any anger or fear of theirs from just moments ago disappearing and turning into childish glee.

"You're going to be impressed right to your graves?!" Usopp cried.

"Bartholomew Kuma, why are you here?" Robin frowned.

"That bastard!" Zoro grounded.

"Hey, I remember him now! He's the guy that showed up at Thriller Bark I never fought!" Luffy frowned as he finally began to recall the Warlord in front of us.