Claiming Waters

Chapter 7: Law's Discovery

(Reader)'s POV:

Stars began to appear in the sky as the sun dipped below the sea. The water's color was black like an endless abyss. After Nami and Robin left, my day was relatively calm. I manage to catch a fish and discover a book hidden in a secret compartment. The book was a guide to sailing the world's seas from the narrative of an old sailor, the man recounted all of his seaborne adventures. I was so engaged with the book, I didn't notice when Luffy had returned, calling my name.

 "Oh Luffy, you're back," I said, putting down the book. Luffy pulled himself up onto the boat, making it rock gently, he sat on the edge with his tail partly submerged. 

"Yep, wanted to see you today" he said, "but wait, I saw you earlier today with Nami Robin" he remembers that right? 

"Ya, but that time doesn't count," so he does remember visiting me. 

"Why not?" I asked Luffy, "cause they steal all your attention" he explained, pouting.

I laughed, so he was jealous from earlier, no wonder he kept pulling on my leg. "Why are you laughing?" Luffy asked, puzzelled. "Oh nothing" I said with a smile. 

"Hey whatcha reading?" Luffy pointed to the book sitting beside me.

"I found the diary of an old sailor in the ship, the book has stories of great adventures in it" I said.

"Really like what? They can't be more exciting than my adventures." 

I picked up the book, "I don't know, there is some pretty incredible stuff in here" I said, testing his ego. 

"No way! I've done way more dangerous and exciting things than some human" Luffy said. He continued to prove why he was the great pirate of the sea, telling me story after story. 

"Okay, okay, you win, king of adventure," I said giggling. My laughter was interrupted by a yawn, stretching, my back cracked and popped. 

"Say Luffy, do you mind if we continue this tomorrow?" I said looking at my blanket, tempting me in the pod. Seeing my drowsiness, Luffy nodded. He lowered himself back down into the water, trying not to splash me.

"Make sure you're up earlier tomorrow" Luffy said, "Why?" I asked him. 

"Cause I still have to make up for the time lost today" he said, grinning. I smile back, wishing him goodnight. I crawled back into the pod, nestling in the blanket. I drifted to sleep, while the ocean cradled me. 

Law's POV:

I followed after Luffy, swimming past coral reefs and seaweed. The occasional fish would swim in front of my vision, but other than that, nothing was out of the ordinary. As far as I could tell everything was normal, perhaps they have all been suffering from a mass hysteria. Wouldn't surprise me if they did, Luffy's crew would blindly follow him into any danger or hallucination for that matter. I scanned along the seafloor and coral beds, looking for anything that would stand out as odd or different. 

I came upon a patch of kelp, attached to the jagged rocks below. 

'Did I go the wrong way?', I thought to myself. I was about to turn around, when something caught my eye. I noticed a piece of seaweed that was being swept in the direction of the current. The kelp was tight, as if someone was pulling on it with force. I swam closer to the seaweed examining it, parts looked like they had been poorly tied together to extend the length. The base of the plant was firmly attached to the bottom, there were other pieces of seaweed that were being used as some sort of support cables to ensure the main line wouldn't break. 

Splash! My attention surged toward the movement coming from the surface, quickly I swam into a small cove of rocks. Trying to hide myself the best I could. I waited silently, searching for the source of the sound. I saw another siren come into vision, a familiar male one. Luffy.

'At least I am in the right area, wait! what is he doing', I watched as he moved towards the seaweed, seemingly securing the plant. Satisfied with the tightness, he swam off into the black depths. I waited a few minutes before emerging, I returned to the kelp. Luffy must have made this, explains why it's poorly done. But what does he need to tie down? I followed the plant to the surface, placed in the water was a strange solid object, it had a flat bottom. I put my hand on the object, hard yet smooth. I took note of the seaweed that was attached to a ladder like structure at the end. Swimming around the outside, the object was twice my size in length. I tapped the outside, Hollow. I began to test my theory, tapping all along the outside. It swayed back and forth in the water, however it would not float away due to the kelp leash. I surfaced, I was surprised to see that there was more above the water than below. There appeared to be some kind of railing along the outside of the ship. 

Thunk! I heard a noise come from the middle of the object, followed by a creek. Quickly I dropped below the surface, waiting. Perhaps Luffy was telling the truth after all.