Hidden in the Shadows -One Piece-

Chapter 4

Chapter shout out! Hopelover124, kuroyukihimesama, Majorasmask2, qwe1234qwe4321, PureWhiteRose,  Xen_25 and hikari46!

I don't own One Piece

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 "So that the plan. I am sorry if this comes as an inconvenience to you Iceberg-san, but we both know that my jobs come first to me with my line of work," Ashlee explained as she was sitting in the comfortable fabric high back chair in front of the Water 7 mayor and Gallery-La president.

"Nmmma… No, I understand. We have an agreement, and I don't feel like breaking it," Iceberg replied, rubbing his chin, before resting it in his hand, propped up by his elbow on his desk. Ashlee, dressed as Lee, kindly smiled.

"And I thank you for that. If not for you allowing me to live in your city and work under you, I'm sure the past three years would have been much more complicated," she leaned back into her chair, looking relaxed. "Has Kalifa said if there are any jobs at Caprona that I can use as an alibi?"

Iceberg looked though a few papers on his desk before handing one to her. "This is the closest one she could find, about a day's travel from here. You're fairly lucky; it's quite new, so it would be a good pick."

Ashlee took the papers, scanning the information on it. It was a simple request from the villagers from Rook Island. They had no shipwrights, and Water 7 had the closest ones available. A few days ago they went through an extremely violent storm, damaging the few fishing ships they had. They weren't sure if they could fix the ships themselves, so they were asking for Gallery-La's help. She set the paper down on her lap, giving Iceberg her attention again.

"Seems like a good job. After I finish the one at Caprona, which should take me two-three weeks, counting one for sailing, I'll head over too Rook and check out the damages, see if we can help. The storm could have damaged the hulls for all I know," Ashlee shrugged at the end. "I'll send word a few days before I leave so that the villagers won't have to wait four weeks for some shipwrights to come."

"Nmma… Sounds like a good plan. I'll tell Kalifa to keep a small team on standby so that they can leave when I get your message," Iceberg replied, looking pleased. Ashlee studied him for a few seconds before sighing when she saw the time on the clock behind him.

"You cancelled all your other meetings today again, didn't you?" Iceberg smiled and stood up, walking over to a window where a small stray cat he had found a few days again, named Falcon, lad in the ledge.

"I didn't want to go to any of them. They all sounded boring," he said as he began to pet the fluffy creature. Ashlee shook her head at his antics,

"Unbelievable. You are no doubt one if the laziest employers, and mayor, I have ever seen," she said under her breath as she watched the tailored jacket, striped pants clad man get scratched when he pet Falcon in a spot the cat didn't like. 'But one of the kindest as well.'

She sighed again, this time for show, as she folded up the paper Iceberg gave her, placed it in her jean pocket, and stood up, grabbing the pack that sat on the floor besides her.

"Well, I guess I have to fulfil my part of the deal before I head out," she pulled out a stack of papers, and set them on his desk. "Here's the list of possible customers coming your way in the few weeks. I'd be careful if I was you, seems to be a strong wave coming in."

Iceberg gave the paper a glance before looking at 'Lee' with a smile. "I'm sure my employee's and your fellow shipwrights can handle them, Lee-chan."

Ashlee waved a hand unimpressed, "yes, yes. I know they are monsters, I'm just saying be careful. There's very interesting pirate crew in that list that could be heading this way. Their ship probably will be in need of repairing, and they don't seem to have a shipwright among them, so they could come and try and find one. And guessing by their previous 'adventures', their captain won't take 'no' for an answer," she picked up some papers that were stapled together, handing it to him. There wasn't much written on any of the pages, but what was, was amazing. Iceberg looked down at the top sheet that showed a mini picture of the captain's bounty. A childish smiling boy around Ashlee's age with a scar under his left eye and wearing a straw hat.