Hugh stood on the gangplank looking at the island in front of him. Large plateaus stretched up towards the sky with deep ravines running from the top down to the sea level. A large slope led up to the top of the plateaus, a village built along the slope. Storm clouds pooled up above the island, threatening a downpour at any time.
“Seems interesting.” Issac said, looking around the island. A elderly woman was beginning to walk towards the crew on a cane. She stood below four feet tall with a wide face and lots of wrinkles.
“Seems the natives are coming to welcome us.” Oriel said with a smile as she sat on the side of the gangplank.
The woman approached. “Welcome pirates, I assume you have come for Captain Nero's treasure as well.”
Issac looked to Hugh swiftly. “Treasure?” Issac said suddenly.
“You don't seem scared of us.” Hugh said, cautious of the woman. “Even though you know we are pirates.”
“We welcome any who come, our island is not one many log poses point to.” The woman said.
“What is this about a treasure?” Issac asked, greed appearing in his eyes.
They got the rundown. A powerful pirate almost a hundred years ago hid his treasure somewhere in the ravines of the island. No one had found it due to the ravines flooding horribly due to the storms that persist on this island at random intervals. Issac was drawn into the idea of a treasure hunt, and as such they had prepared an expedition.
“These fruits are very interesting.” Oreil said, peeling away the rock hard shell of an orange. “They have adapted to the climate of this island and its strong storms, hence the hard outer shells.”
Hugh had finally gotten his pear opened and took a bite, the flavor was incredible. Issac was looking around the Plateau they were currently on. They had to use large sticks to cross the gaps of the ravines, a dangerous task that Hugh was shakey on doing. They had only taken a small crew with them while the rest watched the ship. Issac, Hugh, Oriel, and four of the more capable members of the crew.
“I can feel it.” Issac said, pointing to the next Plateau. “Not that one, but the one after.”
Hugh looked up, the storm clouds were roiling above him. “I think we should prepare to take shelter.”
“It's been like that since we landed.” Issac said, looking at the clouds overhead. “We should press on.”
“I see a shelter here.” Oriel said, pointing to an area where some rocks had formed a natural canopy. “When the storm starts we should make our way back here.”
Hugh gave her a look, what was her game? Issac had them press on, hopping over to the next plateau. They were half way across it before the rain dropped.
It was quick and heavy. In an instant vision dropped to near nothing. Hugh felt himself soaked thru and looking around wildly.
“Get to the shelter!” Issac yelled out. The crew ran quickly.
They only had a few rods to hop the ravines. Hugh reached the edge and held out his pole, letting one of the crew hop over first. Another jumped to his side on their pole. Oreil approached with a pole in her hand.
“It'll be fine.” Oriel said, digging the pole into the wet ground of the land. “I know it will be.” With that she took off into the rain, vanishing behind the curtain of water.
Issac was the last to arrive, and dug his pole into the ground. “You go first.” Issac said, holding the pole bent.
“No, you go first, you're the captain.” Hugh said quickly, the rain making him freeze.
“This isn't up for debate!” Issac yelled loudly. Hugh felt a chill run up his spin at Issac’s sudden change of tone. “You go now!”
Hugh didn't argue, and leaped the ravine. He turned back as he landed, Issac breaking the curtain of rain. Hugh smiled as his captain broke the rain, then he realized what was happening. The pole wasn't sucere, it probably slipped because of the wet ground. Now, Issac was free falling above the Ravine.
“He will be fine he's a zombie!” A crew mate yelled at Issac began to fall into the water.
Hugh felt realization hit him like a cannon. “The water has to let out somewhere, it has to drain into the ocean.” Issac would drown, even if he couldn't die he might due to sea water.
“Hugh!” Oreil yelled out.
Hugh barely heard her, the rush of wind and rain filled his ears as he dived downwards into the darkness of the ravine. Issac flailed wildly, trying to grab any hand holds to keep him from plunging to his death. Hugh reached them, grabbing his hand as they both smashed into the water below, and the world went dark.
A cough released the water that filled Hugh’s lungs. He was in a cave, his feet dangling in a pool of water. He looked around quickly and found a green neon light. It was a glow stick that they had packed. Issac was cracking a second one and turned to spot Hugh.
“Thank god!” Issac said, rushing to Hugh’s side. “You're okay, that's good.” Relief filling his tone.
“How?” Hugh asked, looking around their cave. There was a long tunnel that led off in one direction and a large pool of water that stretched down into darkness.
“You saved us.” Issac said, clasping Hugh’s hand, helping him to his feet. “You pulled us into this cave and passed out.”
“How long have I been out?” Hugh asked, feeling woozy.
“An hour at most I believe.” Issac said, looking around. “You pulled us up form the water, threw me in here out of the water.”
“And you left my feet in the water?” Hugh said, feeling the squishiness of his shoes below.
Issac straightened. “I may have not noticed that.”
“Of course.” Hugh said, leaning against the wall of the cave. He was oblivious to that stuff.
“I feel a wind blowing from down this tunnel, maybe we should follow it, might have a way out.” Issac said. “If not, we can wait for the storm to pass.”
Hugh agreed, getting to his feet and beginning to walk down the way Issac led. He looked at Issac, it was so clear to him, his color. It shined in a bright orange. Hugh was getting used to the ghosts of Issac, but they had begun coming more often. He used to have to force his eyes to see it, but recently it was becoming second nature to him. They had gone through many battles since they entered the grand line, they drove them to their pinnacles, and each fight seemed to further his ability.
“Hey, what do you think about Jeni?” Issac asked, holding a glow stick in his hand and facing forward.
“The cobbler's daughter from home?” Hugh asked, flabbergasted by the sudden question.
“The one and only.” Issac said. “She was cute right? She rejected me right before we left.”
“No way.” Hugh said. “You didn't tell me that!”
Issac smiled at Hugh. “Yep, the day of our departure I walked up to her door and said, ‘Dear Jeni, please, join us at sea. I would love your body to warm my chambers on those long nights out seeking fame and glory’ and of course she said hell no.” He laughed at himself. “So did all the other women I asked that day.”
“You have that kind of courage?” Hugh said with a laugh. “That doesn't sound like you at all, you beat around the bush.”
Issac continued to smile. “Well, it was an adrenaline high ya know? I figured, we may die, so why not go all out and see what happens ya know?”
“Why cant you be that straightforward with Oreil?” Hugh asked.
Issac stopped in place, looking towards the ground. “What do you think of her?”
Hugh turned to Issac. “Me?” He said, looking to the ceiling for the answer. “She's over confident in herself, teases me alot, uses me like a tool, but she has been pulling her weight with the crew. And I guess I can rely on her advice.” He remembered what she had said in his room, she had seen his desk. The journal, it was of course opened to that page at that exact time. She knew.
“But, what do you really think of her?” Issac asked.
Hugh looked at Issac, his face was bright red. “Issac, are you, jealous?”
“Not at all.” Issac said. “I just, want you to find that special someone you know?”
“What do you mean?” Hugh asked.
“You want that someone who notices you when no one else does.” Issac said. “You pretend like you like going unnoticed, but you want to stand out. Not to the world, but to specific people. I think Oreil is that someone to you.”
Hugh dropped his glow stick, his arms going limp. “How did you know.” He said in a near whisper. Disbelief filled him, he never told Issac that, Oriel must have told him from his journal.
Issac looked at Hugh, the shadows staying firmly in place. “Hugh? I've known since we were kids.”
The words hit Hugh far greater than any Navy Admiral could ever hope to. “How.”
Issac’s shadows began walking, the main body following shortly. He shrugged. “I just do, I don't know when I figured it out, I just did.” He bent down, picking up Hugh’s glow stick and presenting it to Hugh. “Come on.” He nudged him forward.
Hugh was at a lose as he watched Issac walk deeper into the cave. He really noticed that about Hugh? He had kept that to himself for years, only mentioning it once in his journal.
“Don't you want her?” Hugh asked, following Issac.
“Hm?” Issac said, turning a head towards Hugh. “Oh I did, but not in the way that was right. See, you want someone special to make you feel something amazing, I just want the attention.” He laughed. “One day Ill find a lady who will tame my wild heart, but I dont think she is the one.”
Hugh continued on. “I don't. I dont think she is the one for me either.”
“I doubt that highly.” Issac said. “But if you say so, it's your choice buddy. I just want to help you make that choice.”
Before Hugh could answer, the room suddenly opened into a large room. Gold coins littered the floor, necklaces, armor, jewels, all laid strewn amongst the stash.
“Captain Nero’s treasure.” Issac said with a whoop.
Hugh felt something as he gazed on the treasure. A pull. He looked around and found it. A blade laid sheathed in the pile of coins. It had a topaz jewel on its hilt with a fancy W shaped guard and a brown simple sheathe. The oddest thing was, the blade had a color to it. Similar to the colors that surround people with haki, this blade seemed to gleam a yellow color.
Ignoring the other jewels and treasure that Issac was throwing up in the air to rain down on him, Hugh approached the sword. He wrapped a hand on the handle and pulled it free. It was a hand and a half longsword, its blade a strange metal that seemed to warp into itself, a silvery color. The pattern of the blade reminded Hugh of rolling waves.
Suddenly, Hugh felt the blade grab hold of him. Not him physically, but spiritually. It was reading his Haki. Hugh groaned loudly as the blade demanded him to give Haki.
“Hugh!” Issac yelled as Hugh fell to the coins, his right hand gripping the blade and not releasing.
Hugh thought quickly, the pain was making his head fog. A deep breath let Hugh channel his Haki into his arm. He worked to match the wavelengths of the blade. Yellow, it was an erratic color, energetic. He felt the blade’s demand decrease as his Haki matched the blades, and before long he could stand.
Hugh sheathed the sword and held it up to Issac.
“What was that?” Issac said, looking at Hugh’s arm. “How did your arm?” He cut off as if he completed his thought.
“It is Haki.” Hugh said. “I think, I think I have a talent for it.”
Issac’s face lit up with joy. “That is amazing Hugh! With that power we could defeat the Regime easily! I saw some Marines using it, if you can do even half of what they can do you will become a massive threat to anyone who challenges us.”
“You're not mad I kept it from you?” Hugh asked.
“WHo cares!” Issac said happily. “And that sword! It's so cool looking!”
Hugh drew the blade again, matching his Haki to its wavelength.
“It's gotta be a Supreme Grade Blade!” Issac said, overjoyed.
Hugh nodded. “It's powerful, I can feel it. I think, I think this is what I needed.”
Issac smiled at Hugh. “Alright, I need my right hand man to be as powerful as possible. Someone to keep me safe till I become a brave warrior!”
Hugh smiled. “Of course, Someone’s gotta protect the Zombie.”
They followed the tunnel to the surface where they found their crew and had them gather the riches below. Oriel sat on a rock as the crew pulled the treasure out from the depths of the cave. Hugh took a seat next to her.
“Guess you were right.” Hugh said, raising his sword for Oreil to see.
“Hm?” Oriel said, giving the sword a passing glance. “Oh, I am, but not about the sword.”
“Then what?” Hugh asked.
Oriel smiled. “Isn't that the question?” She got to her feet.
“You always predict things that happen to you, why all of a sudden did you point something out about me?” Hugh asked to Oriels back.
Oriel stood for a moment then turned a head to Hugh. “You arent the only one whose abilities have improved since entering the grand line.”
“What do you mean?” Hugh asked.
Oriel gave a wicked smile to Hugh. “Seems it works on people I care about alot.” With that, she turned and walked away. Leaving Hugh blushing.
Was she messing with him? He shook his head to dispel the heat from his face. It didn't work. “Captain!” Hugh yelled out. “Let me help some more!” he got to work, distracting himself from the implication of Oriel's words. It didn't work.
