Missing Piece

Chapter 3

Wood splintered and bodies jumped out of the way of the battle that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the row of cozy restaurants. "M-My restaurant!" The chef cried, face paling. He had rushed out at the commotion, excited to see which of his competitors was getting shafted with the short end of the stick today. He wasn't expecting that it would be his store. He scowled at the several gleams and smug looks coming from the surrounding chefs. "Oi, just what do you think you are doing at my store?" He shouted, brandishing his chef knife dangerously. His threat going completely unnoticed by the two squaring off. The nearby chefs snickered at the attempt and the head chef felt his cheeks warm.

Kid clicked his tongue, anger rising in him at the expression that met him when he attacked suddenly. She wasn't even the slightly bit surprised. The huntress swung her legs from out under the table and towards the other side of the barrel she was sitting as the wooden table collapsed under Kid's fist. A slurping sound drew his attention towards the mug in her hands. And his thrill doubled.

Charlotte hopped off the barrel and walked away from the unruly pirate, idly sipping the last drops of her drink. She put the empty cup down on another table with a couple of beris, dodging another attempt at her head. "I'm not paying for the damages he caused." She said, acknowledging that she was being attacked but her voice carried no signs of worry or trouble. She paused, and quickly snatched up the glass and coins, narrowly missing the scythe that spun in the air centimeters before her nose.

He's fast. She noted with a frown. Faster than his Captain. "Or him" She added when the table she was at earlier fell over, sliced into two. She dropped off the mug and coins at the patio counter instead.

How did she know? Killer thought, eyes narrowing behind his mask. There was no way she could have seen his attack. Kid had jumped in from the side, but he came from directly behind her. Yet she still managed to dodge it as if she had saw their incoming attacks. He eyed the perfectly fine cup as if it was mocking him.

Charlotte watched the blue and white striped helmet dart between her and the cup she had placed down earlier, understanding the unvoiced confusion and smirked. It was rare to meet a wielder of Kenbunshoku Haki who knew what they were doing in Paradise. She wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time they faced off against someone with this ability.

"I-It's Captain Kid and his right-hand combatant, Killer!" Someone in the crowd screamed followed by cries of 'Worst Generation', 'high bounty', 'dangerous' and the likes as the weaker thieves ran off. Some more experienced hunters stayed a few hundred meters away, watching to see if they were Charlotte's target. If they got even a clue, then they'd know who to steer away from.

The two pirates locked gazes and Kid knew even with the helmet on that Killer was smirking underneath the mask. They had finally found someone worthy to fight.

Charlotte eyed the space patio exit located behind the excited pirate. "Move it. I'm not interested in you."

What? The masses thought dumbstruck. She wasn't interested in the one with the highest bounty?

The insult only fueled his desire to fight more. Kid promised, "Oh, you'll be interested in a moment." He stuck out his right arm, activating his magnetism.

"You're a devil fruit user." Charlotte stated. Objects of all things metallic flew towards the male's outstretch arm, forming together into an even larger arm. One that looked nasty to get hit by. The other's grin split wider at the comment. "Interested, now?"

Platinum eyes met fiery red and her lips twisted in disgust. "The opposite actually." She lowered her stance. Left arm gripping the leather buckles binding her right arm. "I hate Devil Fruit users."