The Silver Haired Pirate

Chapter 24

sorry for this coming out so late, I won't waste your time have a chapter :3

Despite Aki's group being pretty far away from the palace and Vivi, Aki couldn't help gut flinch when he sensed Luffy's tenacity. The boy was insane for going up against someone so strong, yet he didn't let that stop him. He was so fierce it almost stared the Samurai. Almost. 

He'd met some scary people some were the Seven Warlords. Not all since a couple were more bratty then threatening. Hell, even when he was a child there were some people that scared him despite being raised in a place where fear wasn't something common. 

That didn't mean where he lived was always peaceful, no the opposite. It was a cesspool for chaos and depression. Half the people that lived where he did, were barely surviving and out on the streets. He was one of those. The fact that everyone was always angry was what made them not fearing. They were tough on the outside and would never show that they were scared.

Fight or flight was turned into fight or fight for his people, until of course they were all hunted down and killed. Not by people, but by an illness. Aki was one of the few that made it out, yet was also one of the few that hadn't been cured. It sucked getting sick every now and then, but at least he wouldn't have to watch people he loved die six times over if they were even a little human.

Human as in weak, beatable, strong, willful, beautiful, ambitious, tenacious. Human as in human. While some people were human, there were other humans who were more mutant, devil-fruit or not. Luffy was one of those. Sure he had a devil-fruit and that definitely added to his non-human like character, but his everything else added to it too. 

He was a simple minded boy who had spirit like no other and helped people without a second thought. Empathy, that was something lacking in the world and might as well forever be, and yet there was this boy who knew no bounds in any way shape or form. It made Aki smile to see someone like that. The last time anyone came remotely close to being like the rubber boy, was someone he hadn't seen in a decade. 

The image of a short and skinny boy with black hair flashed through his mind before it quickly vanished. They had made it to the palace. Or- well, they made it to the palace wall and that was good enough apparently since Luffy was standing right beside Vivi who was standing on the ground in front of the palace wall, just a few feet away from them.

"AAAAAHH! LUFFY IS STILL ALIVE!" Chopper exclaimed, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. It worried Aki how these people could make such exaggerated faces without hurting themselves, but he ignored it deeming it normal.

"WHAT?1 IT REALLY IS LUFFY?!" Usopp yelled form beside the doctor, Aki smiled and waved to the princess who blushed and waved back albeit rather shyly.

"Vivi's here too!" chopper pointed out, now being a bit more calm. Aki looked up at the wall when he heard Luffy start to yell again, only to notice that they weren't really in the best place to watch the fight since they were so close to the wall.

"SEE! SEE? I KNEW IT!" Usopp cried, literally 

"Really?" Chopper asked 

"yeah right, is that the face of someone who knew it?" Sanji sweat dropped. Aki, despite being very perceptive and sharp, had completely forgotten about Sanji. 

"Ussop! Aki! and Sanji!" Vivi cheered, Aki noticed the several bruises and cuts that littered her body and opened his eyes. He would've approached the princess to ask her well-being but ultimately halted when Nami appeared from the shadows and smacked Ussop across the back with her new staff. The one he had made for her.

"Ussop!" She yelled. When she hit him, he fell forwards and slumped onto the ground.

"Nami! Mr. Bushido! Everyone's safe"

Aki turned around when he heard 'mr. bushido' which was Zoro since he was the only other swordsman. Aki wasn't at al surprised when Zoro stood there yelling at Nami, his body covered in blood and bruised almost beyond recognition if it wasn't for his bright green hair.

"Who asked you to make a party toy?!" Nami berated Usopp

"You can stand just fine!" Zoro yelled accusingly

"Nami~❤️" 

Aki sighed and turned back to face his new captain and then to his... ex-friend? Ex-parnter in crime? He didn't know what they were anymore, they weren't ever really friends, Aki mainly just teased him until the two were running through towns creating a mess. They'd been assigned to missions together, but they were only compatible because Aki was flexible.

After his friends had a short reunion Luffy spoke up,

"Sorry I lost to that guy once... so this time I can't loose..." there it was, the tenacity.

"hurry up with it" Zoro complained half-heartedly

"IF YOU CAN'T WIN, WHO CAN?!" Usopp yelled

"I'll finish it now... all of it!" Luffy finished. This caused an uproar of cheer from the crew. Aki stood there, stunned into silence, something he hadn't experienced in a decade either. He smiled when the captain looked at him with a huge smile looking quite similar to a puppy asking for praise.

"I believe you can do it" Aki said simply which caused Luffy's smile to split into a grin. He turned back to the wall and stretched his arms up, letting his hands latch onto the ledge of the wall. He launched himself into the air and to everyones surprise, he punched Crocodile across the face.

And that's how the battle began. As the saying goes "he who strikes first wins the battle" or at least thats what Aki thought. He didn't know  if that was an actual saying, but his master had said that several times during their training.

it didn't matter now since Aki was certain that Luffy would win. It was inevitable if he was to be the Pirate King.