The Silver Haired Pirate

Chapter 49

h

hi

so its been a minute sorry but i am back i wont bore you on details of anything so instead have chapter!!!11!!1!

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"That's awesome!" Kazan said with fake cheeriness. Aki narrowed his eyes at his friend but said nothing. Kazan was usually a joyful and bubbly person so when it came to things like this his happy-go-lucky personality tripled. So why was he suddenly faking his joy?

Kazan, from what Aki remembered, wasn't good at faking emotions, hell he could barely lie. He was part dog after all.  But the Kazan of now seemed to be able to repress emotions and fake them.

He had gained this skill somewhere. 

Where? For what purpose? Was it some kind of job he maybe took up where he was taught how to do those things? Only jobs that end badly require such skills. 

As a samurai Aki had to learn how to control his emotions, he didn't learn to suppress them. Kazan didn't undergo training to become a samurai, nor did he ever express liking any form of violence ever.

Sudden shouts in the distance caught the attention of Kazan, Aki and the crowd. They looked towards where it was coming from, only to see a swarm of people on yagara bulls approaching them. There were shouts of "Franky!" and "Fire!" or "Straw hat!".

Aki looked back to Kazan who looked torn.

"What do we do?" Kazan asked.

"Well we could either go see Iceberg-san or go check out where the people came from," Aki responded, "I'm sure you would much rather go and see Iceberg-san. I can tell he's somewhat of a father figure to you."

Kazan flushed, embarrassed. Aki chuckled.

"We should split up, I doubt I would be allowed inside of the room with Iceberg-san anyway, so I'll check out whats going on."

Aki almost flinched at the large amount of dread suddenly seeping out of his friend. What in the-?

"Kazan are you alright?" Aki took a good look at his friend. He had hunched over slightly and was turning an unhealthy shade of white. His eyes were blown wide and he was picking at his nail. A nervous habit he had back when they were little. That was the last straw for Aki.

Aki grabbed Kazan by the hand, though it was a bit difficult since Kazan had clenched his hand into a fist. He took Kazan to a back ally where he stared at Kazan until the other man was fidgeting uncomfortably.

"What is going on, Kazan?" 

Kazan flinched at the tone Aki was using.

"First I sense you forcing emotions down and faking how you feel, and now dread seeps out of you like sweat on a hot day. So I'll ask, what is going on?"

Kazan fumbled with his words, trying to say something.

"Look I can't tell you, okay. I-it's... I can't say."

Aki frowned. That's not what he was expecting, and yet exactly what he was expecting at the same time. Instead of pushing the topic, Aki took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Alright," he said, "if you don't wish to talk about it that's okay. I'm going to go check out what's happening at the ship yard. Take your time." And he walked off.

Kazan bit his lip. He was never good at keeping secrets or telling lies. Everyone knew that. So he was honestly surprised when cp-0 reached out to him, bribed him with the feeling of success, something he longed for since his friend was presumed dead.

All of his training, the years and years of lying and and faux personas, only for it all to come crashing down the second he saw that silver hair.

He squatted down and rubbed his face with calloused hands. Hands that once held onto warmer, softer ones. Ones that would grasp clothing off of Aki's back so desperately. 

He groaned and rolled onto the floor.

"I messed up."

Meanwhile, Aki was standing among the crowd, watching as Luffy and Franky the cyborg fought, wrecking the ship yard without a care. He was almost amused.

"Luffy! Kick that speedo guy's butt!" A familiar voice shouted. Aki looked to his right so see Nami shouting and cheering him on. He began walking over to her only for someone else to cheer.

"Go, bro!" A woman, with a triangular nose and hair in the shape of a square, shouted. Placing her hands at such an angle that it mimicked her hair's shape.

"Go, fight!" A similar woman shouted, standing beside the other.

"What is going on?" Aki asked Nami who flinched at his presence. She turned to him.

"That's Franky, the guy who took all our money and beat up Usopp! He suddenly showed up yelling about his house. The two of them started fighting, Luffy and Franky I mean," she took a breath. "Franky is a cyborg." She said gravely.

"Yes I know," Aki said. Nami rolled her eyes, having figured he knew.

A shout of "Weapons Left!" followed by an explosion brought their attention. They turned back to see Luffy dodge the explosion and launch himself towards Franky. He pulled his leg back in a familiar way and snapped it forwards causing it to stretch out and hit Franky.

Though Franky blocked it with a raised arm he was still sent flying by something, or rather someone. Same for Luffy who had suddenly crashed into a pile of wood that snapped at impact.

The crowd murmured and mumbled.

"You've got some nerve," Paulie said, stepping forward from the line of Galley-La workers. 

Among them was Kaku, whose face was covered by his high collared jacket and his hat, Rob Lucci who somehow looked apathetic but wrathful at the same time, Peepley Lulu, who was carrying some lumber on his shoulder whether he intended to use it or not was unknown, and Tilestone who looked as angry as ever.

"Just what is it you're after Straw Hat?!"

Luffy stared at them, confused and panting like a dog.

Franky's face morphed into mild disgust along with frustration. "Galley-La... why are you here?!" He said.

The citizens of Water 7 that were watching the fight exploded into cheers. 

"Yay! It's the foremen from Dock One!" They sang.