It all began on that damn island. Marines were called to the island of Iroshi. It was a smaller island, one you can see all around. It was a minor island who had no real ruler. In fact it was found out that the island was composed of a tribalistic group.
They had been called out after a group of pirates known as the Kross pirates hid there. Matsuno was a part of Captain Borim’s crew. Borim was a strange man for sure, he was small and scrawny with whiskers on his face. However, in battle he was something to watch. The way he moved in battle was impressive, slipping thru enemies as if he was a ghost.
“Matsuno!” A voice called out. Matsuno turned to see the image of Emma running up to him. He knew that the ship she was on would be joining in this operation, so this wasn't that big of a surprise. After a year, she still looked the exact same. Minus that wide smile, but she had begun to adopt that towards the end of their training.
“Hey Emma.” Matsuno said, lazily raising his hand to wave at her.
“Looks like we won't be seeing much combat?” Emma said, looking out from the position they were stationed.
“Eh, I am fine with it.” Matsuno said. They had been given guard duty of base camp, a way to keep the pirates from escaping.
Emma pouted. “I would love to fight some pirates.”
“Let's enjoy the times we don't have to fight.” Matsuno said happily.
It was another hour before the fighting came to a stop. A runner came to bring the news, then asked for higher ranking members of the crews to join them, as they had found something interesting.
Clive loved the feel of the sea wind. He had been out on this ship for about a year now, and was earning the respect of his crew. The south blue wasnt the most amazing place to hunt pirates, but it was a good place for him to train and improve himself. The Commodore even trusted him enough to give him a devil fruit, though apparently Huis was the one who had suggested it in the first place.
The Slow-Slow fruit was amazing for him, and he thanked Huis profusely the last time they talked over transponder snail. Huis was promoted to Vice Admiral recently, a change that was not apparent to Clive for some time. Clive was happy for him, but it also raised his chances of climbing the ranks.
Being trained by a Vice Admiral made him a shoe in for promotion, before long he would become a Vice Admiral he could feel it. But his goals went well beyond that.He had never spoken about the extent of his dream to anyone but Matsuno and Emma.
“Fleet Admiral?” Emma said in disbelief. “You think you can really make it that far?”
Matsuno simply placed a hand on Clive’s shoulder, giving him a look as if he just had something funny.
“Come on, it's a goal.” Matsuno said. “Think about it, Fleet Admiral Ormr is getting on in age, he will retire at some point. Maybe I could take his place when that happens.”
“I'm pretty sure Admiral Kifarukon is next in line.” Matsuno said, looking up at the sky.
“He is old too!” Clive declared. “Besides he declined the promotion, he was apparently offered it shortly after he captured the king of the pirates.”
Emma sighed. “Admiral Aoiroba is the next in line, and he is young enough to control for some time. Once he retires you have a chance though. Just keep it up till then.”
Clive and Matsuno eyeballed Emma like she was a foreign object.
“Your not going to say its a stupid dream?” Clive said, expecting the usual Emma coldness.
“Its an honorable goal, I wouldn't bash you for having it.” Emma said with a shrug.
“What are you?” Clive said, pushing his way away from Emma.
“What? I am still Emma!” Emma said, trying to pull Clive back.
That conversation ended up in them all laughing about Emma’s strangeness. She had grown quite warm to Clive and Matsuno, he could now truly call her his friend.
“Clive! You gotta hear about what we just heard!” A member of the crew said, drawing Clive back to the present. He crossed the ship to the transponder snail which gave grave news.
“Its a big old rock.” Matsuno said.
“Its not just any big old rock.” Emma said, eyes wide. “Its a Polyniglpyh.”
“Oh those things that are illegal?” Matsuno said. The rock was huge and square with foreign symbols on it. “So, lets break it.”
“Are you an idiot?” Borim said. He touched the stone reverently, as if it was some sort of holy object. “We are keeping this.”
“Huh?” Matsuno asked. “For what? A rock collection?”
Borim smiled at the rock, his eyes swirling with craziness.
The bombs came the next night.
Matsuno was unsure what happened, but it was clear that Borim had told the government he was keeping the rock. And so, the Buster call began. The ships were the first hit, Matsuno and Emma had been towards the center of the island when they spotted the fireballs falling from the sky.
They just stared blankly as their ships exploded, their debris burning the sea. Matsuno looked up and spotted the next volley, the ones that would work to sink this island to the ocean floor.
“What do we do?” Emma said, eyeing at the flaming spheres that dotted the sky.
Matsuno was quiet. “I know, the pirate ship! We can escape from them!”
“They burned the ship.” Emma said hollowly.
“But not the small row boat!” Matsuno said, grabbing at Emma’s hand and pulling her towards the other side of the island. “We can get on there and sail out.”
“We should go back to the main camp.” Emma said, her arm was limp in Matsuno’s hand, her eyes stuck towards the bombs. “They wouldn't kill their own people, were marines like them.”
Matsuno stopped, spinning Emma around. “Emma, they destroyed our ships!” Emma’s eyes were wide. The shock had taken her. “Come on, let's go.”
Emma nodded as Matsuno continued to pull her onwards. Explosions sounded from all around them, but they soon spotted the small row boat the pirates used to get onto the island. It was close, so close. And yet, the explosion happened.
It landed in front of them, sending Matsuno and Emma sprawling in opposite directions. His ears rang from the sound, sand floating in the area like a mist. Emma got to her feet and looked back towards the ship's shelling the island. Matsuno rose and spotted what Emma was seeing.
Two large balls of fire soared through the air towards the two, omens of death. Matsuno drew his sword and took his stance. His sword style only worked on the ground, not something in the air, yet he needed to try.
He wished that he had learned about the advanced styles of Niten, maybe he could save them both. No, Matsuno must do whatever he could. He took the stance of first style, then felt his body shifting to the second, then the third, then fourth and so on.
Matsuno could hear it then, everything. The sound of the waves, the crash of the bombs, the cries of the people. Every voice on the island became clear, the dark sky became clear as if it was day. His mind was cleared as he found Emma’s heartbeat, a wild rhythm of fear at her coming death. This was the power his brother had mentioned wasn't it? Observation Haki.
“Matsuno.” Hikaru had said. Matsuno’s brother always was so strict with him on training, yet outside that he was quite chill. “You'll eventually find it, your advanced art.”
“Which will I learn?” Matsuno had asked.
“That's up to you.” Hikaru said. “Advanced styles are based on you, the things you learn in life, the things you believe in, your faith, ideals, goals, dreams, all of these factor into what you learn. Don't worry, your style will be amazing once you find it.”
Matsuno smiled, facing the flaming balls of death before him. He finished going through the stances, and took on a new one. His body shifted low to the ground, holding firm to the ground and spun around to release the stance.
“Genbu Style One, Snake Flash.” Matsuno declared.
Matsuno swung the sword in a slash, a wave of blue energy flowed from the earth thru him and into the air, striking out and cutting one of the bombs clean in two.
He chose to join the Marines, he chose to make friends with Clive and Emma, he chose his paths, he chose his dreams, his ideals. These decisions that lead him in life lead him to this exact moment, where he cut the bomb headed straight for Emma.
Matsuno felt the bomb impact near him, sending him flying thru the air. Debris cut at his body, and he felt a chunk of his side detach from his body. He landed hard on the sandy ground, his head bouncing across the ground causing his vision to blur.
After only a moment Emma was over Matsuno, tears streaking her cheeks. She was saying something, probably something like ‘You'll be okay, well get you fixed up’ however, Matsuno couldn't hear her. He felt blood come up his throat and coughed it out.
“Run.” Matsuno tried to say, but his words were not working. Instead, he pulled his handkerchief free and pressed it into Emma’s hand along with his blade, Kamodi. Realization crossed Emma’s face as she took the objects. She began to cry so heavily then, she would run, she would escape and live.
Matunso wondered how Emma and Hikaru would have gotten along; he should have taken her and Clive to his home island. Oh, Clive will be sad wont he, at least he will have Emma. they both are so strong, they will grow to be amazing people, Matsuno knew that.
He remembered the day they all met, seeing that stickler of a girl Matsuno couldn't help from finding the idea of annoying her to be fun. Somehow it worked, and she broke out of her shell, opened up about herself, even shared secrets with Matsuno. He felt bad, dying with one last secret, but how would she and the others feel if they knew of his middle name?
Emma cried, not moving. Finally she spoke final words to Matsuno. The ringing in his ears cleared for just an instant as he heard those three little words.
“I love you.” Emma said.
Matsuno held her hand for one last moment before he died. A smile crossed his face, one that came from the women he had loved for so long getting to live, as well as knowing his death wasn't meaningless. He had protected someone, he joined the marines for that reason more than anything else. He died achieving the dream he had since he was just a boy in the woods with his brother.
Clive cried at the news. It wasn't true, there was no way they were both dead. The Kross pirates had killed all the marines on the island, forcing the marines to call in a buster call.
It took him a few days to hear of the lone survivor, Emma S Nash. she had disappeared during the night after her rescue and was now missing. Clive knew what this meant, they were in the South blue, meaning he could find her. Clive buckled down, he had to become a captain and search for his friend as soon as possible. He didn't care how long it took, he would find Emma and bring her back.
