The Copyist (One Piece & OC)

Chapter 43: Haunted Woods

***Amaya's POV***

We entered the dense fog that was spread throughout the woods. There were gnarly looking trees in every direction that twisted into odd shapes. The tops of the trees would suddenly stop after thinning the higher it went, leaving no leaves, only a sense of unease.

We walked a dirt path with dark green shrubs lining the sides. Luffy continued to ride his three headed mutt that he tamed with the majority of us walking on either side of it. Sanji was the odd man out, walking in front of the group and hollering for Nami.

"Between the weird layout and this fog, my sense of distance is fried!" Franky spoke.

"There is also the possibility that we're walking in circles." Robin announced.

"I would bet on it in fact. I mean look, Zoro's still with us and he's always lost, so that must be the case." I snicker.

"Oi!" He complained on the other side of the beast I was walking next to.

"Nami-san!" Sanji yelled, receiving no reply once again. "Maybe we should have left moss head behind after all..." He muttered loud enough for us to hear.

"You're blaming me?!" Zoro got up in arms again.

"Huh?" Luffy's questioning sound turned our attention to the side of the forest, showing an interesting view.

A tree with a patchwork face on the side of the trunk along with added arms and legs was pouring a glass of alcohol of a patchwork unicorn that was sitting in front of it. Both creatures gasped at us, having noticed their audience. They froze in surprise, causing the cup that was being filled with alcohol to overflow onto the forest floor.

"An elderly tree and a unicorn are sharing a drink!" Luffy barely got the words out due to his shock at the scene.

"I think it would be more accurate to say that they are wasting alcohol." I clarify.

Next thing we knew, Luffy was chasing the tree with his butterfly net down the path that we were walking.

Franky in turn was chasing the unicorn as well.

Both creatures ran for their lives, but they were too slow as they were quickly captured by the duo.

"Hey, Luffy. What are you gonna do with them?" The swordsman questioned.

"He wouldn't," Sanji speculated mentally.

Luffy's eye twinkled as he was holding onto the tree creature. "Guys, why don't you join my pirate-"

"Cut it out!!!" Both Sanji and Zoro yelled, cutting off their captain from finishing his suggestion.

We continued our journey after Luffy begrudgingly left those creatures behind. Sanji's been lecturing him this whole time, despite him ignoring him as he rode the large patchwork dog.

"In any case, stop jumping at the chance to recruit these weirdos!" The twirly brow continued. "As it is, we've already got a raccoon dog and a robot!" He finished, ticking Franky off.

"Hey, I'm not a robot! I'm a cyborg, moron!" Franky shouted at the blonde from his position on the dog next to Luffy.

"It's obvious you aren't human anymore!" Sanji snapped back.

"At the core, I'm human!" Franky pointed his thumb at himself.

"At the core, you're a pervert!"

"Well as long as you understand." Franky's mood changed for the better as he continued to talk to the blonde.