Searching for Brothers [One Piece fanfic]

Chapter XXXV: Unexpected Enemy

Searching for Brother: 35

Word count: 2.4 k

A/N: yikes, I'm just getting nervous writing about it.

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THIRD PERSON P.O.V.

"How long is the coating going to take?" Clementine questioned, her eyes shifting to the white-haired man who carried a large bag as he prepared to leave the bar.

The man rubbed his chin, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes. "I suppose I'll need three days to finish coating their shape seeing its size," Rayleigh replies as he pushes his glasses higher onto his nose.

Luffy looked shocked, his mouth falling open in disbelief as he looked at the older man. "It'll take that long?!"

Rayleigh modded, laughing slightly, "well, your lives depend on the quality of my work. That's the quickest I can manage," the man paused before looking at Luffy and his crew. "I'm a wanted man, myself like you all are. I think I'll be taking your ship somewhere else to work on it so I will not be interrupted while I coat it," the former first mate of the pirate king explains.

"That's means we just have to survive for three days without Sunny, correct?" Brook questioned as he laughed, "how scary!"

Rayleigh's eyes shift to Clementine for a split second, "I'll give them all a piece of my Vivre Card, but you can also lead them when we meet up three days from now, in the evening," the man converses with the blonde, the female nodding in understanding. "I don't know what grove I'll end up in, but think it as training for yourself and try to spread out the perimeter you can use your observation haki to find me."

Clementine frowned, but nodded, knowing that the task was going to be difficult seeing as how many groves there were. But it was a challenge she welcomed, her lips tugging to an eager smile at the prospect of being able to complete the assignment given to her by her mentor.

Rayleigh turned his attention back to the Strawhat Pirates, the crew watching him intently. "I'd suggest you prepare yourselves for the underwater voyage to Fishman Island and gather anything you need."

Clementine hooked her arm with her brother, tugging him gently as she sent a reassuring smile to Rayleigh. "They'll be fine. I'm going to show them around to the markets and help them buy what they'll need. I'll make sure they don't get involved in some big trouble," the blonde showed a tiny smile, her mentor laughing as he ruffled her hair in affection.

However, Rayleigh's eyes became serious, his gaze fixed on the female's face, pulling her to the side to have a private conversation. "You're strong, Clemie-Chan. But remember your training with Shanks and I is not complete. You still aren't strong enough to fight an Admiral by yourself," Rayleigh sighed deeply, rubbing his cheeks. "The stunt these pirates pulled at the Auction House was definitely notified to the higher-ups, there may be a possibility that an Admiral may already be on the island. If for some troublesome reason you do accidentally meet up with one, your job is to escape as fast as you can. Do not engage in battle," Rayleigh's tone was heavy, the man meaning every single word that left his lips.

Clementine could immediately tell, trusting the old man's judgment. If he said she wasn't strong to fight an Admiral, she probably wasn't, and she wasn't going to risk finding out.

While the two conversed, Luffy and his crew were bidding their goodbyes to Shakky, Camie, and Hachi, clueless to the private exchange of words between Rayleigh and Clementine.

"Menti-chan, is it okay to assume you're going to be spending these three days with them?" Shakky questioned the blonde who nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be with them, so you don't have to worry about me crashing here for the night. Thanks for always offering," Clementine sends the raven-haired woman a grateful smile which Shakky returned.