Worm Piece (Worm/One Piece)

Chapter Sixteen
Taylor stood on the docks, neck stretched back as she took in the small town with her own two eyes, then she closed them and allowed the senses of millions of bugs to take in the environs.

[Small Human Living Location. Sub-Par Everything. Perfect for Host.]

"Don't be a pain, Passenger," Taylor muttered.

[Pointing out Obvious Inadequacies of Host Species.]

"That's being a pain."

[Other Than Host, Others of Species Irritating.]

"So you do love me?" she quipped and earned a sharp pang of pain between the eyes.

[Queen Administrator Cutting Communications.]

The town was decently large. A few rows of two and three storey homes next to a long dock that was built a little ways over the water. There was a plateau near the back of the town, and more, smaller houses at the other end. Fields that looked freshly plowed were laid out in neat rows deeper on the island next to orchards and some forests. It was a well-inhabited little town.

And it was completely devoid of people.

"Anything?" Zoro asked as he tossed the unconscious body of a pirate to the side. The three volunteer rowers formed a neat pile on the dock.

"Nothing, not a single inhabitant in the three nearest blocks. Some food is still warm. Ovens too. Some fireplaces have embers left in them. Whatever happened here happened recently." She patted down her new knife to reassure herself that it was still there then checked on her swarm. If there was poison in the air the bugs would die before she did. She hoped. "No bodies."

"Hrm," Zoro said. He checked his swords which were tucked in the band around his waist. "Let's move in then. Luffy can't be too far."

"Let's hope so, yeah."

They started towards the far end of town, aiming for the plateau. Zoro led her down a block of homes, through an alley, then back towards the docks, then he turned ninety degrees and back into the same street they had started down. Then another alley, and another, and they were back at the docks near their ship.

"Zoro?" Taylor asked. "Where are we heading to?"

"The plateau over there. The high ground will let us see farther."

"Alright."

They marched down the same street again, then Zoro turned and walked into a house and out of its back door into a small garden. He jumped a waist-high fence which Taylor vaulted one-handed, landed in another backyard, and moved through another house and back onto the same street.

"Okay, stop," Taylor said. "We're going in circles."

Zoro scratched at the side of his head. "Are you sure?"

Taylor pointed at the plateau. "It's right there. Huge rock outcropping. Impossible to miss. Why are we walking away from it."

"I thought this was a shortcut?" Zoro asked.

Taylor worked her jaw.

[Local Host-Species 'Zoro' Has Inferior Intelligence.]

"Okay, I'm leading from now on." She pushed her swarm as high as it would go and blinked back in surprise at what she saw. Across the town, on the roof of what looked like a bar, were a whole lot of tiny forms moving around.

She found people.

***

[] Go investigate:

• [] Quietly
• [] Go in loud
• [] Ask Zoro for advice

[] There is an empty town. Go shopping! Grab provisions!
[] Keep looking for Luffy around town.
[] Write in...


By the way, I intended to use this town as a place for Taylor to get some clothes. Anything in particular you'd want her to wear?

Outline an outfit. 150 words or less. It... probably won't come up next chapter or the one after, but at some point during her time on this island she'll buy or steal some duds. This is a write-in only option, so figure it out amongst yourselves and we'll go with whatever the majority chooses. [] NAME is a valid response too.

The outfit vote has a few days before it comes up in story. Take your time!