Broken Adventure
- Thread starter theaceoffire
- Start date
- Crossover
- Status
- Location
- Earth, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy
This bit right here reminds me of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, and that is one hell of a power.
- Location
- Planet Earth
So... does this, technically, make her Adam's Soulmate? I can just see he going "traveling" on "adventures" once her girls are grown up. Ending up traveling to other realities/worlds either by accident, or on purpose, then winding up in WORM with Adam.
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TheScrub
God's in his heaven. All's right with the world
She turned into a Jojo.
Hidden One
Not the Boss, possibly a Playa
- Location
- Sol;Terra;EU;D;NRW
The spirit of cooking is strong in this one.
Also it is nice that Shadow Ofadam keeps with the tradition bestowed upon him by his forebearers, everything is fine.
He even improved a bit, nothing is on blue fire yet.
Also it is nice that Shadow Ofadam keeps with the tradition bestowed upon him by his forebearers, everything is fine.
He even improved a bit, nothing is on blue fire yet.
- Location
- In the Depths, Lurking...
Soooo, in Shadow's quest to understand the Dao of Snacks, what are the odds he ends up in Toriko? Conceptual level delicious food with more taste-gasms than a Shogeki no Soma story? Sounds like just the place for our hapless protagonist to stumble into. After allowing Belle-Mere to conqueror the world and cast down the Celestial Dragons of course.
Rant: Random -isms make frustrating reading.
- Location
- Here
*Grumble*, There are a LOT of people in other countries writing lots of stories, but the low level sexism and racism and anti-LGBT and other such stuff is really hard to push though.
Not the obvious stuff, that's easy enough to spot and avoid.
No, the subtle shit. Random comments like how someone is 'as weak as a woman' or not as 'powerful as a man' or some of the 'comedy' where the joke is 'This person isn't straight' or 'I implied they are not heterosexual' or 'They old thus dumb' or 'Young be stupid' or 'Jews be {etc}' or whatever.
You can go a thousand chapters into a story about going into the woods and eating monsters alive (good stuff! Chew your way to power!), then suddenly get blindsided when they decide to rape some woman because they were too attractive. Or a crowd of 'good guys' randomly comment during a tournament about 'of COURSE she's losing, she's a girl!', or when somebody suddenly gets called a slur or something.
No warning, just: BAM! Have some hate!
Oh, and that rape issue happens a LOT for some reason when reading literature from some countries.
Someone gets drugged, or two people get locked away and only sex can save the day, or one of the two is confused/tricked/blackmailed/blah. Even the reverse can be frustrating, like when I found a story where a guy was like "She totally wants to bang me, despite being drugged and telling me she hates it, but I managed to say no!" as if NOT raping a woman deserves a mountain of praise. Like, you can have relationships with people, fine. You can find them hot or not, cool. It's a bit harsh to imply that beautiful women are the cause of all problems... But when every guy is a sexist asshole I guess you might have found a pattern, even if you are blaming the victims instead of the instigators.
SOME stories have a woman who can only attack with a musical instrument and she still comes off as BADASS! She can literally mind wammy you with illusions to death, it was hard core!
But half the damned time, it is either 'New hot lady, banged her, now I move on' or 'Hot lady laments she cant has meburger, move on' or 'I collect them all! Gathered my harem, never mention them again, move on.' If you want one night stands, and your culture doesn't accept that, then 'marrying a woman' just to sex her up for one time before NEVER MENTIONING HER AGAIN is NOT the solution!
Sometimes you bounce into opposite tropes of this, like a fun story where the guy or gal didn't want to have any relationships. Dude just wanted to become the worlds most powerful supernatural mechanic and build armies of ships and robots and stuff. THAT story has a running joke where he tells a girl "I'm not into girls." "I'm not into guys." and so forth, and ends up accidentally convincing most of society that he is into necrophilia. As far as I know, the MC of that story still doesn't KNOW that he has that reputation, but I chuckled because they are all trying to be 'understanding' and 'accepting' and he still has no clue what is up with them.
Am I for/against any of those topics? Meh. I've always been a 'live and let live' kind of guy.
But when a story decides to have huge chapters about a MC 'about to throw up' because someone MIGHT be homosexual, or when women get crapped on by an entire section? I want a warning about that crap so I can 'nope' out of the story EARLY.
Even when I depict other orientations/religions/beliefs/etc in my story, I try to do so in a way that the character him/her/theirself would approve of, even if I would not. This applies to everything: Drug use, Nazism, all the bits of society that pop up in literature.
If I must cover the topic, I try to do so in a way that is true to the character being portrayed from their perspective. I'm sure I've failed in the past, or have many unconscious biases that are blatantly obvious to other people, but at least at no point did Adam suddenly pause the story to start insulting some random nationality or whatever.
Seriously, you read a few million words into a story and suddenly it goes rotten. Damn it.
Not the obvious stuff, that's easy enough to spot and avoid.
No, the subtle shit. Random comments like how someone is 'as weak as a woman' or not as 'powerful as a man' or some of the 'comedy' where the joke is 'This person isn't straight' or 'I implied they are not heterosexual' or 'They old thus dumb' or 'Young be stupid' or 'Jews be {etc}' or whatever.
You can go a thousand chapters into a story about going into the woods and eating monsters alive (good stuff! Chew your way to power!), then suddenly get blindsided when they decide to rape some woman because they were too attractive. Or a crowd of 'good guys' randomly comment during a tournament about 'of COURSE she's losing, she's a girl!', or when somebody suddenly gets called a slur or something.
No warning, just: BAM! Have some hate!
Oh, and that rape issue happens a LOT for some reason when reading literature from some countries.
Someone gets drugged, or two people get locked away and only sex can save the day, or one of the two is confused/tricked/blackmailed/blah. Even the reverse can be frustrating, like when I found a story where a guy was like "She totally wants to bang me, despite being drugged and telling me she hates it, but I managed to say no!" as if NOT raping a woman deserves a mountain of praise. Like, you can have relationships with people, fine. You can find them hot or not, cool. It's a bit harsh to imply that beautiful women are the cause of all problems... But when every guy is a sexist asshole I guess you might have found a pattern, even if you are blaming the victims instead of the instigators.
SOME stories have a woman who can only attack with a musical instrument and she still comes off as BADASS! She can literally mind wammy you with illusions to death, it was hard core!
But half the damned time, it is either 'New hot lady, banged her, now I move on' or 'Hot lady laments she cant has meburger, move on' or 'I collect them all! Gathered my harem, never mention them again, move on.' If you want one night stands, and your culture doesn't accept that, then 'marrying a woman' just to sex her up for one time before NEVER MENTIONING HER AGAIN is NOT the solution!
Sometimes you bounce into opposite tropes of this, like a fun story where the guy or gal didn't want to have any relationships. Dude just wanted to become the worlds most powerful supernatural mechanic and build armies of ships and robots and stuff. THAT story has a running joke where he tells a girl "I'm not into girls." "I'm not into guys." and so forth, and ends up accidentally convincing most of society that he is into necrophilia. As far as I know, the MC of that story still doesn't KNOW that he has that reputation, but I chuckled because they are all trying to be 'understanding' and 'accepting' and he still has no clue what is up with them.
Am I for/against any of those topics? Meh. I've always been a 'live and let live' kind of guy.
But when a story decides to have huge chapters about a MC 'about to throw up' because someone MIGHT be homosexual, or when women get crapped on by an entire section? I want a warning about that crap so I can 'nope' out of the story EARLY.
Even when I depict other orientations/religions/beliefs/etc in my story, I try to do so in a way that the character him/her/theirself would approve of, even if I would not. This applies to everything: Drug use, Nazism, all the bits of society that pop up in literature.
If I must cover the topic, I try to do so in a way that is true to the character being portrayed from their perspective. I'm sure I've failed in the past, or have many unconscious biases that are blatantly obvious to other people, but at least at no point did Adam suddenly pause the story to start insulting some random nationality or whatever.
Seriously, you read a few million words into a story and suddenly it goes rotten. Damn it.
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I really liked the idea of a One Piece Villian being smart enough to spot the weirdness happening and NOPE THE F out of there. For some reason, it's even funnier to me that it's Arlong.
I'm also imagining that the Baratie will end up single sourcing all their ingredients from the Conomi Islands.
And won't Nami be completely spoiled about food from now on? Nothing can compare to the ingredients Bell-mere can provide her. How will she complete her dream of mapping the world? Will Bell-mere have to twist ingredients to her ship?
And how much in love would an adult Sanji be if he found out that Bell-mere is basically a lovely woman version of All-Blue?
Also, how will a mentally well-adjusted and well-raised Nami find and become Nakama with the Straw Hat Pirates? It just wouldn't feel right if she didn't.
I'm also imagining that the Baratie will end up single sourcing all their ingredients from the Conomi Islands.
And won't Nami be completely spoiled about food from now on? Nothing can compare to the ingredients Bell-mere can provide her. How will she complete her dream of mapping the world? Will Bell-mere have to twist ingredients to her ship?
And how much in love would an adult Sanji be if he found out that Bell-mere is basically a lovely woman version of All-Blue?
Also, how will a mentally well-adjusted and well-raised Nami find and become Nakama with the Straw Hat Pirates? It just wouldn't feel right if she didn't.
- Location
- Ireland
Well raised yes. Mentally well adjusted? I don't think so. Lol. What with the shadow being living in her mother and all. Lol.
As much as I like that movie, and as often as I watched it, I never equated 'The Rock' with 'Unable to Swim.'
- Location
- Earth, Sol System, Virgo Supercluster, Earth-1218
And here you go with a "low racism" yourself.)
If you want some disgusting bs like self-righteous rape and such, you can check out QQ. You don't need foreign fiction for it. (you better not)
As for small things like racist\gender jokes, it's just a culture code. Even if you are a hardcore atheist, you still sometimes say "thank God" you can't help it. In "those" countries, jews joke about jews and gays about gays, and nobody is sore about it.
Words do not matter - intent does.
P.S. Although there is still a lot of bs with skewed intent. =\
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Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Yeah, QQ has a lot of questionable content. Happens when it is called "Questionable Questing". They do have some rules, and I have seen stories removed for violating them. However, I believe he was specifically talking about the eastern Cultivation novels, which are famous for this issue. Novels written by westerners sometimes poke fun at this, with the MC being a side character as the "son of the heavens" collects wives like pokemon and just leaves them all on the mountain or in the sect after he has gotten what he needs, or even BEING one of those collected and scorned wives.
- Location
- Russia
That needs a source. Mentioning something interesting to read and then not giving a name is evil!
TheScrub
God's in his heaven. All's right with the world
You weren't joking about the 'Random' part of the rant. This literally came out of no where, just BAM! Rant about questionable content!
As for your points: the random comment part is a bit ambiguous for me, mainly because it seems a bit exaggerated. I mean, it's a classic the 'You hit like a girl!' or the 'Ah Ah! U is gay!' and it sounds a bit silly getting sore over those, because I don't think they are meant to be read too deeply into it (I generally gloss them over as the classic NPC filler conversation for side characters)
For the r*pe part...well, my fetish is consent and cuddles and hand holding, so I am 100% with you on that.
As for the part about one night stand, I generally hate harems simply because they are pure power fantasy bullshit (one girl [or guy] is hard enough to manage!) but I hate even more the ones that act like cliche shopping list of the 'Do I have this type of generic waifu?'.
- Location
- Here
It's called the The Legendary Mechanic.
An odd concept, where one person reincarnates into a world from a video game... But uh. It is still a video game? But now he is a NPC? There is a whole lot of the 'MC is OP but people don't notice until WOW SHOCK!' moments, which I enjoy even if it isn't amazing literature.
The game mechanics are a bit odd too. You learn stuff through actions or study or whatever, then you can combine knowledge sources and gamble your XP to unlock schematics?
Meh, it's fine. The rumor bit pops up when he is helping a group of assassins protect a house from waves of moronic assassins, so lots of fun stuff to read.
- Location
- Cambridge MA
I suspect that sometimes things that look misogynistic are actually just authors trying to be period-accurate. E.g. xianxia set in ancient China. And this may be mediated through using archaic idioms that aren't translated as though they were clearly idioms, and look like plain text and an opinion of the author or a character.
And maybe some attempts to pander to a (whale) audience?
But yes, there is some legit culture-clash misogyny/rapeyness/homophobia/etc. and it is kind of offputting, I've been turned off fics before, including on QQ. I do generally try to ignore low-level stuff though, it's not like there's anything evil involved in basically any case ("never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by cultural indoctrination"? I mean, they're not incompatible any more than evil and stupidity are, and the second can lead to the first, but it doesn't feel the same).
And maybe some attempts to pander to a (whale) audience?
But yes, there is some legit culture-clash misogyny/rapeyness/homophobia/etc. and it is kind of offputting, I've been turned off fics before, including on QQ. I do generally try to ignore low-level stuff though, it's not like there's anything evil involved in basically any case ("never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by cultural indoctrination"? I mean, they're not incompatible any more than evil and stupidity are, and the second can lead to the first, but it doesn't feel the same).
Arc 4: Raising concerns… And children.
- Location
- Here
As time passed, it became more and more evident that a social shift had come to her home.
Genzo may officially be mayor for Cocoyasi Village, for the whole island basically since this was the only village here, but on a fundamental level?
Bell-mère now ran things.
She wasn't exactly sure when the final shifts occurred, but at some point ALL the local shops and businesses were owned by trustworthy people that worked with her as their backer.
They didn't kill anyone or threaten any store or merchant or anything, just…
One group had an additional revenue stream of endless high quality goods available at all times for nearly nothing with no shipping costs or issues, and everyone else… Didn't.
In the short term, you could compete with that. Especially since her people didn't deliberately start underselling outsiders or merchants unless they came in like total assholes.
But over months? Never having a supply shortage, always offering good quality goods, being able to plant better quality seeds and grow higher quality saplings on an island that seemed to be blessed by nature?
Which, for the record, Bell-mère was trying to curtail.
The 'Blessed Woods' as they were called were now spreading MUCH more slowly after she Twisted away a massive pit under the ground over there and moved her new compost heap down THERE instead of on the surface.
Sure, it gave her a bunch of heavily enhanced soil and rock that accidently turned the local farms into something similar to a growing holy land, but the IMPORTANT bit was that the near magical forest was only expanding at a FRACTION of it's previous rate! Practically nothing!
Cough.
Anyway, the local farms were showing record quality and quantity products, the wild life was thriving around the entire island, and even the seaweed and stuff was getting enough of a boost to help out the local fishing crews.
And, publicly acknowledged or not, Bell-mère ruled these islands.
It hadn't been too obvious at first, nor too much of a hassle… Until someone sat down and realized exactly how many bounties were being captured here in this trade hub.
Thieves and scallywags may be able to show up and wander around without issue, as long as they kept their nose clean when shopping, but the violent? The murderous? Powerful pirates and lawless Marines?
They kept getting caught by bounty hunters, or in a few cases showing up unconscious and smelling like good booze while on shift, slacking off on their ships instead of putting pressure on the locals as they intended.
If there wasn't so much trouble going on elsewhere in these seas, more attention might have been directed towards this small nowhere island in the weakest of seas, but… Life didn't work out that way.
So only the shops and customers and merchants and traders noticed that here, in this growing port and trading hub, there were no protection rackets. No random fees or Marine shakedowns or monetary fleecing. No attacks, from pirates, drunks, or random ships passing by.
It only took a couple of years, but Cocoyasi Village rapidly grew into Cocoyasi Town and was edging towards Cocoyasi City. But unlike other villages or towns, the new growth wasn't covering the actual land itself… That resource was growing more and more valuable every day, after all.
No, they began to grow outward. Building foundations in the sea herself, expanding the cliff faces with man made structures of growing complexity and of shockingly high 'cost'... Though a few deals, a few traded favors, some rare or hard to ship goods and materials being available when required?
Well, amazing things can be done when logistics become trivial.
With a growing population, economy, and an established chain of command, official or no?
Bell-mère was able to shift a few priorities.
Policies, ones not enforced by law or statute, but mandated by the unspoken masses… Ones that could not be challenged or altered. Unwritten rules.
Orphanages were large, well funded, and taught and trained tiny ones for big futures. Law and Order were applied evenly and without bias against gender or wealth or power or species… As if by ghosts.
And a network of Haunted Shops continued to resist being shut down or destroyed, shops that operated without logic or explanation, places that could do impossible things and know unknowable facts and whispers…
Well, all this was causing some visitors to call the place the 'Haunted Isle of Plenty', at least when locals were trying to entice tourism.
And within this Haunted Isle, Bell-mère was basically queen.
Despite her frequently trying to get out of it. "I'm not going to give a speech."
Mayor Genzo chuckled. "You should! The new boat construction yard is a huge deal for our village, and people love to see you show up."
They loved to drool over her ever escalating hotness, he meant.
Sheesh! Those odd warm pulses of power STILL haven't stopped! "Well they can just be disappointed then. I'm taking the girls out on another voyage! A field trip is just what young minds need to grow!"
Traveling by sea was MUCH easier when an army of Heartless were helping you navigate safely. Though they kept staring at the sea in curiosity if she didn't keep them busy.
So far, she wasn't able to reform her Shadow into more than 8 squads of Heartless, but the last four were more than happy to take special roles.
One handled all the Haunted Shops, another took care of all the supply runs for her businesses, the third watched for criminals or trouble makers and processed them before handing them over to the island's detainment cells, and…
Well, the last guy acted as her First Mate. Even George would have been impressed at how much effort the little creature put into his work!
Though when not busy keeping her squads focused and on task, he tended to spend time acting as her own personal Shadow in a literal and figurative way. Which she had felt surprisingly grateful for… Not having any shade under her body had felt wrong on a fundamental level.
Not just in a 'Something is wrong with this picture' way, but in a 'The world is broken' way.
All fixed now!
And sure, if she walked a bit too quickly the little guy might lose the shape of her body, and if she got too distracted by paperwork or a book or something he might wander around a bit while still connecting her to the Darkness.
But still, her and her Shadow? They were best buds! Tight like barnacles, they were!
Though after the girls discovered their new 'imaginary friends' hiding in their own shadows, things had gotten a bit silly. Her first mate had to remind them not to just follow the orders of the two children, and even he was surprisingly easy to 'trick' when the two little rascals wanted to get someone else to do their chores.
At the time Bell-mère had been stunned at how… Accepting the girls were of her new comrades. Not even a flicker of fear or concern.
Apparently, according to Nojiko, they felt like her. Like mom was watching.
Probably was going to say other stuff, but that had been too adorable and it was emergency hug time-o-clock, and then they had snacks and dinner and the topic was lost.
Genzo grumbled. "Alright, I know when you get into your wandering phase no one can stop ya. Can you at least wave at the idiots as you sail by? If you don't give them SOMETHING they will start commissioning statues again, and I remember how much that ticked you off."
She felt her blood boil before she pushed it back.
Those hadn't been statues, they had basically been porn monuments.
…Though the fact that she could still recognize herself said something about how hot she had become recently.
Nope! Repressing ALL that!
Still, best to head that kind of crap off. "I'll swing by the new shipyard so the girls can see it, maybe wave a bit, but NO SPEECHES!"
He chuckled on his way out. "Yeah yeah, I'll be off then."
As the door closed, she glanced over one more time with one eye glowing with purple and Darkness.
Good, his health was improving since her girls had sent over those muffins she had made.
Still not sure where the HELL some of these ingredients were coming from, but they always turned out to be surprisingly helpful when the right Snack was given to the right person.
Right! "Squads one through seven, get the supplies together for a day trip and get the ship prepared. Squad eight, collect the tiny terror tots! We are off on a bit of an Adventure!"
Shadowy figures saluted and she felt her powers get borrowed for fractions of moments as they all headed off to get shit done. Good lads!
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
The strongest and most powerful pirate captain of these seas was on his glorious journey!
None could deny his endless prowess and his millions of followers, each more powerful than the last! His might could topple towers, his will power crushes the seas!
And this time, he was on his first GRAND, actual really-no-I-mean-it-believe-me Adventure!
Already those in Syrup Village were likely wailing and gnashing teeth due to him having to depart these waters, but how could he be restrained just due to the lamentation of endless fans and followers? He had greater goals, more important reasons to journey these waters!
Captain Usoland, occasionally worshiped in secret as Usopp in those endless love letters he probably had misfiled somewhere, was on a mission!
With his trusty and all powerful Galaxy Slingshot and a few clever ammo options to secure his safety, this step was just one moment on the endless journey of life!
His shaking hands gripped the damp weapon, as he slowly calmed his breathing. With all the fish in this barrel, conserving air was vital.
But, stowaway or not, covered in fish or not, Captain Usoland was surely on his way on a grand quest!
One that, strictly speaking, was more important to him than even his sometimes exaggerated tales. A quest directly related to the young woman whom he always told those stories to.
A quest dedicated towards protecting her laugh.
Syrup Village didn't have much on it, other than the legacy of wealth represented by his sick friend, Kaya.
Basically she was the princess of the Gecko Islands.
Oh sure, the nobels loved the exported syrup being produced every season… But most of the land and the islands under its domain was basically a fief for Kaya's family.
Back when her family was alive.
Back before she got so sick.
Usopp forced himself to focus.
This… Sigh, this had been a difficult action to take.
For one thing, leaving his home was the hardest decision he had ever made!
Some small, young part of his heart honestly feared that while gone, his dad might come home.
That the brave warrior of the sea, Sharpshooter Yasopp, might have returned for his kid, after his epic adventures and having become one of the most powerful pirates of the sea… And that they may miss each other.
That Usopp would be left behind again, watching over mom's grave.
He didn't share that fear with others, or mention it in his stories.
Another issue, one that he felt ashamed to even acknowledge… He was actually scared of his destination.
It was the 'Haunted Isle of Plenty'! There were actual SHOPS for ghosts there! Too scary! Too fearsome! He was coming down with the 'I-am-going-to-die-from-ghosts' disease again!
That alone had caused him to lock up in terror and… Uh.
Cough.
That had raised concerns.
But… But Kaya was sick. And getting sicker.
And she had said she wasn't going to get better.
Might even get worse. Much worse.
Even that jerk butler, Kuro, didn't think anything could be done.
That… That was not acceptable.
That young woman, always so kind to a boastful boy bragging through her window to make her smile? She didn't deserve to end like this. Not like this.
So, he had to face some facts.
Usopp was… Well, he was weak.
And scared.
And mocked, and ridiculed, and often alone.
But despite that, he was a man of the sea. Like he imagined his dad must be.
So, despite the terror of the unknown, the lack of funds, the horrifying destination, the lack of hope, the high potential for death and failure… He was here.
In a barrel of fish, off to be sold to a rather far off island thanks to some modified shipping instructions.
It was all he could do.
But he could do nothing less.
In the Haunted Isle of Plenty, there were shops run by ghosts who knew impossible things. Who could find impossible treasures. That could help people with no hope.
And although he couldn't make it to the Grand Line and the miracles that grew there like weeds, he could travel to the Conomi Islands. He could at least try something, even if it was called a lie and a tall tale and sea gossip and rumors.
For one young woman's laugh, Captain Usoland would make this journey. He would grasp that chance!
And this would succeed!
Everything would turn out fine!
He should know, after all he was the one who believed it!
Hidden in a cold wet barrel of hope, Captain Usoland attempted to sell the grandest stories to himself. It would have to be enough to keep him going on this journey.
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
Nojiko watched with amusement as little Nami waved eagerly back at the massive crowds of people praising her embarrassed mom as their ship passed. "Oh, the kids from the orphanage showed up too!"
Mom groaned as she slumped at the wheel. "I was just supposed to wave as we sailed by. That's all I had to do: Wave and leave."
Might be a bit tricky, what with all these little boats and stuff filled with screaming fans and the ongoing party.
She shifted as another one of the odd tiny creatures her Mom could now make passed by, adjusting the sails and trying to get them safely through the water traffic.
Still not sure why everyone else seems to just gloss over the little guys. Even Nami didn't question why a small ARMY of creatures just crawled out of their Shadows and followed Mom's commands.
Like, no one even acted like it was interesting. What the heck?
Mom whistled something and below the ship, the large Shadow seemed to T̳͠w̛̰̠͓į̳̹̫̰̱͚̕s̵̯̲͚̹̜̩͝t͈̙̻̻̬̺̟̞ and S̭͖ͅḩ̶͓̬̠̖̪̮̺͡į̘̙̩͇̣̯̦́f̨̜̱ţ̶͚̺͚͈͓̺̗̱͜… And again, no one said anything.
But at least now, the entire vessel was moving again.
Against the current.
As something unseen in the water was shifting the ships out of the way of their passing.
Oh come on! SOMEONE notice this stuff!
She glared at the nearest black being. "Aren't you guys made with Devil Fruit power?"
The 'Heartless' paused… And wiggled his claws back and forth?
What do you MEAN, sortof!? No, don't get sidetracked. "How are you able to do anything when touching the ocean like that?" She waved at the bottom of the boat. "Like that thing, whatever it is."
And somehow mom was just THERE, to one side, looking over the edge too. "Huh. Didn't even notice First heading down there."
Thankfully, exposure made the whole 'MOM FROM NOWHERE' jumpscare not give her a heart attack every time. Mostly. "Wait, 'First'?"
Mom nodded. "First is my First Mate. He keeps these crazy guys in line."
Huh. "But how is he touching sea water like that? Doesn't the ocean restrict your abilities?"
She hummed. "Sort of? But only if I am personally exposed to enough of it. Shallow waters, or just sea spray or whatever? All that is fine."
Mom waved at the water. "Meanwhile, the powers themselves can operate underwater just fine. It's us users that go limp and absent minded if we get submerged, according to my past classes. Even heard that you can shove a Devil Fruit user into a diving suit and they can still use their powers down there, as long as most of their body stays dry."
The girl and her mother watched the waters shift as the massive Shadow below the waves suddenly revealed a huge claw… And waved up at them. Huh.
Nami didn't notice, so it was Nojiko's job to wave back!
Her mom chuckled to one side. "He'll come back once we are out of this mess of people… Seriously, these guys."
Turning to the massive crowd, she harrumphed and posed, causing several distant people to pass out in passion, as she shouted! "You lazy louts! Stop drinking and screaming and GET BACK TO WORK!"
As one, the massive horde shouted! """YES MA'AM!"""
Mom snorted. "Smartasses." And froze… Before glancing at her. "Don't curse like mommy, alright? Not until you are at sea and I can blame everyone else for it. And not in front of Nami."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Mom cursed, literally, like a sailor. She'd never acknowledge that though. "Yes mom."
The smile lit up the sky. "Good girl. Now! All you boys get this ship cruising, we got a trip to travel!"
Dozens and dozens of tiny claws gave a cheerful salute!
Onward!
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
The crowd blinked, as if something was forgotten, and then went back to partying. No one would remember the small Shadows that had flickered out of their thoughts and attention, they were too busy celebrating the ongoing good times that kept showering their home with fortune!
Well, most of them.
The kids had to go back to the new public schools, the construction crews always seemed to have even more projects needing some oversight, the new shipyard was going to mostly focus on custom repair work rather than building new ships from scratch and there was a BIG line for them to work on…
So they all bustled away, as the crowds dispersed into smaller and smaller gatherings and eventually the madness calmed down to some degree.
At least, until the NEXT amazing construction project swept them up in a craze again!
As they left, many were carefully giving respectful nods or glances to the Haunted Shops that they passed. A tradition that only grew and spread as time progressed.
It hadn't quite reached the level of worship, but… If you were worried, or in danger, or concerned, these places were safe havens.
Nothing bad happened within, nothing bad happened nearby.
People tended to gravitate towards that kind of security.
Those who tried to argue, who claimed that spirits were not involved with all the things going on? People who decried the supernatural nature of such an unimpressive facility and place?
Well.
One of the more busy and popular services on the island had turned out to be carpentry.
And the style and variety of coffins being produced were truly astounding… And each purchase included a one night stay at the 'Last Stay Inn' that offered quiet rooms to reside within for a single night.
For a response, a midnight message.
Contact from the Haunted Shops.
Those looking for lost loved ones would rent a room, paying this fee… And if lucky, leave with a wounded or captured or long lost person, overjoyed! Others only clutched notes describing what adventures they were on, or which lands they traveled!
These fortunate few happily returned an unused wooden box to understanding carpenters, for some other future person to purchase. An act met with congratulations and small celebrations!
Others… Well, they also left with their loved ones. They did not need a refund.
The carpenters did good work, and had good tools and good materials. Many coffins had styles and patterns that brought one home to fond memories and happier times. Custom creations were easily crafted as required… And these people offered services to transport your heavy burden home at considerate pricing.
At least, the physical burden.
The rooms rented in the 'Last Stay Inn' were all sound proof.
No one would force you to leave early, and no one would rush those screaming in sorrow.
Some say, here in the East Blue…
That if your child has gone to the sea, and has lost their way?
They could come home from the Haunted Isle of Plenty.
One way or another.
It was a different, sadder form of joy.
More closure than celebration, but needed. Feared. Respected.
So, worship or not, believed or not, people who lived here respected the Haunted Shops.
After all, one day they may want to come home too.
One way or the other.
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
Bell-mère wasn't sure why she ended up calling this old ship the 'Highwind', but it felt right. "How are we doing, navigator Nami?"
Daww, look at her with her little tongue poking out while wrestling with that massive map!
So cute!
Her tiny eyes sparkled as the little girl pointed… Huh. The right way? "That way momma!"
Hmm. "Alright! That way we go!"
Better check that later on. It could be luck, but her littlest had always loved looking at her old books and the maps in them, even more than having her mom read those 'boring kid books'.
All those nights cuddling while pointing out various places on old maps might have uncovered a talent here.
The little one was sniffing the wind… "Gots ta hurry, big winds and stuff."
Bell-mère narrowed her eyes.
THAT was some sort of unconscious sensing ability. She'd had a few guys back in the day who could taste currents or hear the wind, and they all got that odd look in their eyes. "Which way, sweetie? For the winds, I mean."
Tiny arms pointed over there and… Hmm? But there was… Wait, no, she just had to push her intuition a bit further than normal. And her Shadows confirmed it, that was a nasty squall trying to build up out there.
Damn, that was impressive. "Wow Nami, you really have a gift for this stuff!"
She blushed, grinning like a loon. "Hee-Hee…"
Nojiko shouted down from where she had climbed up the rigging… Kids were basically monkeys at this age. "Tell mom about your maps!"
Nami looked up in shock! "NO! They aren't ready yet!" She glanced quickly at her and winced. "I didn't… They aren't… Uh…"
She slumped a little. "They aren't ready yet."
Daww!
She pulled the tiny treasure into a BIG hug! "Then I guess I will just have to wait and be SUPER surprised then!"
Twisting with her little cutie patootie in her arms, she was back at the wheel. "Now, want to help mom navigate?"
Raw joy filled her tiny body. "REALLY!?"
Heh. "Super duper really."
It went… Mostly well.
A few issues here and there, a bunch of learning experiences, but Nami had to go have a good cry and calm down when she found out how inaccurate all the maps they had were and how people just ACCEPTED that as normal.
Which, fair enough, had been something Bell-mère had ranted about for years back with her crew… But seeing her little one denounce decades of military effort and money spent and claiming that she would do better with her little crayons and her secret maps?
That had been SUPER adorables!
Of course, Nojiko was an angel like usual and had helped a bunch getting Nami to calm down after being 'betrayed' by 'maps that LIE!' and…
Well, some snacks made from some glowing ingredients helped settle everyone down and her squads kept the boat sailing without issue despite all the incidents.
All that aside, at least now she had something to work towards. When they get back home, let's reach out and start collecting some materials for her little one… Reference maps, as 'full of lies' as they may or may not be, sketching tools, lots of parchment and paper, a desk… One of the spare rooms could be turned into a calligraphy office, right?
Hee hee, she could have a tiny navigator for her Shadow crew! And maybe little Nojiko would want to join in the fun too? It could be a whole family bonding thing! Maybe the other kids at the orphanage would want to join in too, they loved to play with her girls and it wouldn't be that big of an issue, right?
The (Unofficial) Marine kiddy patrol! It must be done! Ha!
Genzo may officially be mayor for Cocoyasi Village, for the whole island basically since this was the only village here, but on a fundamental level?
Bell-mère now ran things.
She wasn't exactly sure when the final shifts occurred, but at some point ALL the local shops and businesses were owned by trustworthy people that worked with her as their backer.
They didn't kill anyone or threaten any store or merchant or anything, just…
One group had an additional revenue stream of endless high quality goods available at all times for nearly nothing with no shipping costs or issues, and everyone else… Didn't.
In the short term, you could compete with that. Especially since her people didn't deliberately start underselling outsiders or merchants unless they came in like total assholes.
But over months? Never having a supply shortage, always offering good quality goods, being able to plant better quality seeds and grow higher quality saplings on an island that seemed to be blessed by nature?
Which, for the record, Bell-mère was trying to curtail.
The 'Blessed Woods' as they were called were now spreading MUCH more slowly after she Twisted away a massive pit under the ground over there and moved her new compost heap down THERE instead of on the surface.
Sure, it gave her a bunch of heavily enhanced soil and rock that accidently turned the local farms into something similar to a growing holy land, but the IMPORTANT bit was that the near magical forest was only expanding at a FRACTION of it's previous rate! Practically nothing!
Cough.
Anyway, the local farms were showing record quality and quantity products, the wild life was thriving around the entire island, and even the seaweed and stuff was getting enough of a boost to help out the local fishing crews.
And, publicly acknowledged or not, Bell-mère ruled these islands.
It hadn't been too obvious at first, nor too much of a hassle… Until someone sat down and realized exactly how many bounties were being captured here in this trade hub.
Thieves and scallywags may be able to show up and wander around without issue, as long as they kept their nose clean when shopping, but the violent? The murderous? Powerful pirates and lawless Marines?
They kept getting caught by bounty hunters, or in a few cases showing up unconscious and smelling like good booze while on shift, slacking off on their ships instead of putting pressure on the locals as they intended.
If there wasn't so much trouble going on elsewhere in these seas, more attention might have been directed towards this small nowhere island in the weakest of seas, but… Life didn't work out that way.
So only the shops and customers and merchants and traders noticed that here, in this growing port and trading hub, there were no protection rackets. No random fees or Marine shakedowns or monetary fleecing. No attacks, from pirates, drunks, or random ships passing by.
It only took a couple of years, but Cocoyasi Village rapidly grew into Cocoyasi Town and was edging towards Cocoyasi City. But unlike other villages or towns, the new growth wasn't covering the actual land itself… That resource was growing more and more valuable every day, after all.
No, they began to grow outward. Building foundations in the sea herself, expanding the cliff faces with man made structures of growing complexity and of shockingly high 'cost'... Though a few deals, a few traded favors, some rare or hard to ship goods and materials being available when required?
Well, amazing things can be done when logistics become trivial.
With a growing population, economy, and an established chain of command, official or no?
Bell-mère was able to shift a few priorities.
Policies, ones not enforced by law or statute, but mandated by the unspoken masses… Ones that could not be challenged or altered. Unwritten rules.
Orphanages were large, well funded, and taught and trained tiny ones for big futures. Law and Order were applied evenly and without bias against gender or wealth or power or species… As if by ghosts.
And a network of Haunted Shops continued to resist being shut down or destroyed, shops that operated without logic or explanation, places that could do impossible things and know unknowable facts and whispers…
Well, all this was causing some visitors to call the place the 'Haunted Isle of Plenty', at least when locals were trying to entice tourism.
And within this Haunted Isle, Bell-mère was basically queen.
Despite her frequently trying to get out of it. "I'm not going to give a speech."
Mayor Genzo chuckled. "You should! The new boat construction yard is a huge deal for our village, and people love to see you show up."
They loved to drool over her ever escalating hotness, he meant.
Sheesh! Those odd warm pulses of power STILL haven't stopped! "Well they can just be disappointed then. I'm taking the girls out on another voyage! A field trip is just what young minds need to grow!"
Traveling by sea was MUCH easier when an army of Heartless were helping you navigate safely. Though they kept staring at the sea in curiosity if she didn't keep them busy.
So far, she wasn't able to reform her Shadow into more than 8 squads of Heartless, but the last four were more than happy to take special roles.
One handled all the Haunted Shops, another took care of all the supply runs for her businesses, the third watched for criminals or trouble makers and processed them before handing them over to the island's detainment cells, and…
Well, the last guy acted as her First Mate. Even George would have been impressed at how much effort the little creature put into his work!
Though when not busy keeping her squads focused and on task, he tended to spend time acting as her own personal Shadow in a literal and figurative way. Which she had felt surprisingly grateful for… Not having any shade under her body had felt wrong on a fundamental level.
Not just in a 'Something is wrong with this picture' way, but in a 'The world is broken' way.
All fixed now!
And sure, if she walked a bit too quickly the little guy might lose the shape of her body, and if she got too distracted by paperwork or a book or something he might wander around a bit while still connecting her to the Darkness.
But still, her and her Shadow? They were best buds! Tight like barnacles, they were!
Though after the girls discovered their new 'imaginary friends' hiding in their own shadows, things had gotten a bit silly. Her first mate had to remind them not to just follow the orders of the two children, and even he was surprisingly easy to 'trick' when the two little rascals wanted to get someone else to do their chores.
At the time Bell-mère had been stunned at how… Accepting the girls were of her new comrades. Not even a flicker of fear or concern.
Apparently, according to Nojiko, they felt like her. Like mom was watching.
Probably was going to say other stuff, but that had been too adorable and it was emergency hug time-o-clock, and then they had snacks and dinner and the topic was lost.
Genzo grumbled. "Alright, I know when you get into your wandering phase no one can stop ya. Can you at least wave at the idiots as you sail by? If you don't give them SOMETHING they will start commissioning statues again, and I remember how much that ticked you off."
She felt her blood boil before she pushed it back.
Those hadn't been statues, they had basically been porn monuments.
…Though the fact that she could still recognize herself said something about how hot she had become recently.
Nope! Repressing ALL that!
Still, best to head that kind of crap off. "I'll swing by the new shipyard so the girls can see it, maybe wave a bit, but NO SPEECHES!"
He chuckled on his way out. "Yeah yeah, I'll be off then."
As the door closed, she glanced over one more time with one eye glowing with purple and Darkness.
Good, his health was improving since her girls had sent over those muffins she had made.
Still not sure where the HELL some of these ingredients were coming from, but they always turned out to be surprisingly helpful when the right Snack was given to the right person.
Right! "Squads one through seven, get the supplies together for a day trip and get the ship prepared. Squad eight, collect the tiny terror tots! We are off on a bit of an Adventure!"
Shadowy figures saluted and she felt her powers get borrowed for fractions of moments as they all headed off to get shit done. Good lads!
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
The strongest and most powerful pirate captain of these seas was on his glorious journey!
None could deny his endless prowess and his millions of followers, each more powerful than the last! His might could topple towers, his will power crushes the seas!
And this time, he was on his first GRAND, actual really-no-I-mean-it-believe-me Adventure!
Already those in Syrup Village were likely wailing and gnashing teeth due to him having to depart these waters, but how could he be restrained just due to the lamentation of endless fans and followers? He had greater goals, more important reasons to journey these waters!
Captain Usoland, occasionally worshiped in secret as Usopp in those endless love letters he probably had misfiled somewhere, was on a mission!
With his trusty and all powerful Galaxy Slingshot and a few clever ammo options to secure his safety, this step was just one moment on the endless journey of life!
His shaking hands gripped the damp weapon, as he slowly calmed his breathing. With all the fish in this barrel, conserving air was vital.
But, stowaway or not, covered in fish or not, Captain Usoland was surely on his way on a grand quest!
One that, strictly speaking, was more important to him than even his sometimes exaggerated tales. A quest directly related to the young woman whom he always told those stories to.
A quest dedicated towards protecting her laugh.
Syrup Village didn't have much on it, other than the legacy of wealth represented by his sick friend, Kaya.
Basically she was the princess of the Gecko Islands.
Oh sure, the nobels loved the exported syrup being produced every season… But most of the land and the islands under its domain was basically a fief for Kaya's family.
Back when her family was alive.
Back before she got so sick.
Usopp forced himself to focus.
This… Sigh, this had been a difficult action to take.
For one thing, leaving his home was the hardest decision he had ever made!
Some small, young part of his heart honestly feared that while gone, his dad might come home.
That the brave warrior of the sea, Sharpshooter Yasopp, might have returned for his kid, after his epic adventures and having become one of the most powerful pirates of the sea… And that they may miss each other.
That Usopp would be left behind again, watching over mom's grave.
He didn't share that fear with others, or mention it in his stories.
Another issue, one that he felt ashamed to even acknowledge… He was actually scared of his destination.
It was the 'Haunted Isle of Plenty'! There were actual SHOPS for ghosts there! Too scary! Too fearsome! He was coming down with the 'I-am-going-to-die-from-ghosts' disease again!
That alone had caused him to lock up in terror and… Uh.
Cough.
That had raised concerns.
But… But Kaya was sick. And getting sicker.
And she had said she wasn't going to get better.
Might even get worse. Much worse.
Even that jerk butler, Kuro, didn't think anything could be done.
That… That was not acceptable.
That young woman, always so kind to a boastful boy bragging through her window to make her smile? She didn't deserve to end like this. Not like this.
So, he had to face some facts.
Usopp was… Well, he was weak.
And scared.
And mocked, and ridiculed, and often alone.
But despite that, he was a man of the sea. Like he imagined his dad must be.
So, despite the terror of the unknown, the lack of funds, the horrifying destination, the lack of hope, the high potential for death and failure… He was here.
In a barrel of fish, off to be sold to a rather far off island thanks to some modified shipping instructions.
It was all he could do.
But he could do nothing less.
In the Haunted Isle of Plenty, there were shops run by ghosts who knew impossible things. Who could find impossible treasures. That could help people with no hope.
And although he couldn't make it to the Grand Line and the miracles that grew there like weeds, he could travel to the Conomi Islands. He could at least try something, even if it was called a lie and a tall tale and sea gossip and rumors.
For one young woman's laugh, Captain Usoland would make this journey. He would grasp that chance!
And this would succeed!
Everything would turn out fine!
He should know, after all he was the one who believed it!
Hidden in a cold wet barrel of hope, Captain Usoland attempted to sell the grandest stories to himself. It would have to be enough to keep him going on this journey.
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
Nojiko watched with amusement as little Nami waved eagerly back at the massive crowds of people praising her embarrassed mom as their ship passed. "Oh, the kids from the orphanage showed up too!"
Mom groaned as she slumped at the wheel. "I was just supposed to wave as we sailed by. That's all I had to do: Wave and leave."
Might be a bit tricky, what with all these little boats and stuff filled with screaming fans and the ongoing party.
She shifted as another one of the odd tiny creatures her Mom could now make passed by, adjusting the sails and trying to get them safely through the water traffic.
Still not sure why everyone else seems to just gloss over the little guys. Even Nami didn't question why a small ARMY of creatures just crawled out of their Shadows and followed Mom's commands.
Like, no one even acted like it was interesting. What the heck?
Mom whistled something and below the ship, the large Shadow seemed to T̳͠w̛̰̠͓į̳̹̫̰̱͚̕s̵̯̲͚̹̜̩͝t͈̙̻̻̬̺̟̞ and S̭͖ͅḩ̶͓̬̠̖̪̮̺͡į̘̙̩͇̣̯̦́f̨̜̱ţ̶͚̺͚͈͓̺̗̱͜… And again, no one said anything.
But at least now, the entire vessel was moving again.
Against the current.
As something unseen in the water was shifting the ships out of the way of their passing.
Oh come on! SOMEONE notice this stuff!
She glared at the nearest black being. "Aren't you guys made with Devil Fruit power?"
The 'Heartless' paused… And wiggled his claws back and forth?
What do you MEAN, sortof!? No, don't get sidetracked. "How are you able to do anything when touching the ocean like that?" She waved at the bottom of the boat. "Like that thing, whatever it is."
And somehow mom was just THERE, to one side, looking over the edge too. "Huh. Didn't even notice First heading down there."
Thankfully, exposure made the whole 'MOM FROM NOWHERE' jumpscare not give her a heart attack every time. Mostly. "Wait, 'First'?"
Mom nodded. "First is my First Mate. He keeps these crazy guys in line."
Huh. "But how is he touching sea water like that? Doesn't the ocean restrict your abilities?"
She hummed. "Sort of? But only if I am personally exposed to enough of it. Shallow waters, or just sea spray or whatever? All that is fine."
Mom waved at the water. "Meanwhile, the powers themselves can operate underwater just fine. It's us users that go limp and absent minded if we get submerged, according to my past classes. Even heard that you can shove a Devil Fruit user into a diving suit and they can still use their powers down there, as long as most of their body stays dry."
The girl and her mother watched the waters shift as the massive Shadow below the waves suddenly revealed a huge claw… And waved up at them. Huh.
Nami didn't notice, so it was Nojiko's job to wave back!
Her mom chuckled to one side. "He'll come back once we are out of this mess of people… Seriously, these guys."
Turning to the massive crowd, she harrumphed and posed, causing several distant people to pass out in passion, as she shouted! "You lazy louts! Stop drinking and screaming and GET BACK TO WORK!"
As one, the massive horde shouted! """YES MA'AM!"""
Mom snorted. "Smartasses." And froze… Before glancing at her. "Don't curse like mommy, alright? Not until you are at sea and I can blame everyone else for it. And not in front of Nami."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Mom cursed, literally, like a sailor. She'd never acknowledge that though. "Yes mom."
The smile lit up the sky. "Good girl. Now! All you boys get this ship cruising, we got a trip to travel!"
Dozens and dozens of tiny claws gave a cheerful salute!
Onward!
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
The crowd blinked, as if something was forgotten, and then went back to partying. No one would remember the small Shadows that had flickered out of their thoughts and attention, they were too busy celebrating the ongoing good times that kept showering their home with fortune!
Well, most of them.
The kids had to go back to the new public schools, the construction crews always seemed to have even more projects needing some oversight, the new shipyard was going to mostly focus on custom repair work rather than building new ships from scratch and there was a BIG line for them to work on…
So they all bustled away, as the crowds dispersed into smaller and smaller gatherings and eventually the madness calmed down to some degree.
At least, until the NEXT amazing construction project swept them up in a craze again!
As they left, many were carefully giving respectful nods or glances to the Haunted Shops that they passed. A tradition that only grew and spread as time progressed.
It hadn't quite reached the level of worship, but… If you were worried, or in danger, or concerned, these places were safe havens.
Nothing bad happened within, nothing bad happened nearby.
People tended to gravitate towards that kind of security.
Those who tried to argue, who claimed that spirits were not involved with all the things going on? People who decried the supernatural nature of such an unimpressive facility and place?
Well.
One of the more busy and popular services on the island had turned out to be carpentry.
And the style and variety of coffins being produced were truly astounding… And each purchase included a one night stay at the 'Last Stay Inn' that offered quiet rooms to reside within for a single night.
For a response, a midnight message.
Contact from the Haunted Shops.
Those looking for lost loved ones would rent a room, paying this fee… And if lucky, leave with a wounded or captured or long lost person, overjoyed! Others only clutched notes describing what adventures they were on, or which lands they traveled!
These fortunate few happily returned an unused wooden box to understanding carpenters, for some other future person to purchase. An act met with congratulations and small celebrations!
Others… Well, they also left with their loved ones. They did not need a refund.
The carpenters did good work, and had good tools and good materials. Many coffins had styles and patterns that brought one home to fond memories and happier times. Custom creations were easily crafted as required… And these people offered services to transport your heavy burden home at considerate pricing.
At least, the physical burden.
The rooms rented in the 'Last Stay Inn' were all sound proof.
No one would force you to leave early, and no one would rush those screaming in sorrow.
Some say, here in the East Blue…
That if your child has gone to the sea, and has lost their way?
They could come home from the Haunted Isle of Plenty.
One way or another.
It was a different, sadder form of joy.
More closure than celebration, but needed. Feared. Respected.
So, worship or not, believed or not, people who lived here respected the Haunted Shops.
After all, one day they may want to come home too.
One way or the other.
~~~Broken Adventure~~~
Bell-mère wasn't sure why she ended up calling this old ship the 'Highwind', but it felt right. "How are we doing, navigator Nami?"
Daww, look at her with her little tongue poking out while wrestling with that massive map!
So cute!
Her tiny eyes sparkled as the little girl pointed… Huh. The right way? "That way momma!"
Hmm. "Alright! That way we go!"
Better check that later on. It could be luck, but her littlest had always loved looking at her old books and the maps in them, even more than having her mom read those 'boring kid books'.
All those nights cuddling while pointing out various places on old maps might have uncovered a talent here.
The little one was sniffing the wind… "Gots ta hurry, big winds and stuff."
Bell-mère narrowed her eyes.
THAT was some sort of unconscious sensing ability. She'd had a few guys back in the day who could taste currents or hear the wind, and they all got that odd look in their eyes. "Which way, sweetie? For the winds, I mean."
Tiny arms pointed over there and… Hmm? But there was… Wait, no, she just had to push her intuition a bit further than normal. And her Shadows confirmed it, that was a nasty squall trying to build up out there.
Damn, that was impressive. "Wow Nami, you really have a gift for this stuff!"
She blushed, grinning like a loon. "Hee-Hee…"
Nojiko shouted down from where she had climbed up the rigging… Kids were basically monkeys at this age. "Tell mom about your maps!"
Nami looked up in shock! "NO! They aren't ready yet!" She glanced quickly at her and winced. "I didn't… They aren't… Uh…"
She slumped a little. "They aren't ready yet."
Daww!
She pulled the tiny treasure into a BIG hug! "Then I guess I will just have to wait and be SUPER surprised then!"
Twisting with her little cutie patootie in her arms, she was back at the wheel. "Now, want to help mom navigate?"
Raw joy filled her tiny body. "REALLY!?"
Heh. "Super duper really."
It went… Mostly well.
A few issues here and there, a bunch of learning experiences, but Nami had to go have a good cry and calm down when she found out how inaccurate all the maps they had were and how people just ACCEPTED that as normal.
Which, fair enough, had been something Bell-mère had ranted about for years back with her crew… But seeing her little one denounce decades of military effort and money spent and claiming that she would do better with her little crayons and her secret maps?
That had been SUPER adorables!
Of course, Nojiko was an angel like usual and had helped a bunch getting Nami to calm down after being 'betrayed' by 'maps that LIE!' and…
Well, some snacks made from some glowing ingredients helped settle everyone down and her squads kept the boat sailing without issue despite all the incidents.
All that aside, at least now she had something to work towards. When they get back home, let's reach out and start collecting some materials for her little one… Reference maps, as 'full of lies' as they may or may not be, sketching tools, lots of parchment and paper, a desk… One of the spare rooms could be turned into a calligraphy office, right?
Hee hee, she could have a tiny navigator for her Shadow crew! And maybe little Nojiko would want to join in the fun too? It could be a whole family bonding thing! Maybe the other kids at the orphanage would want to join in too, they loved to play with her girls and it wouldn't be that big of an issue, right?
The (Unofficial) Marine kiddy patrol! It must be done! Ha!
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- Location
- Home
I've read some of that, honestly can only read so much before I gotta put it back into hiatus and let it rest. It's not a bad Chinese webnovel, but some of the character's actions just break my SoD from time to time.
God the wholesomeness of this chapter is just great. I love this One Piece arc of your story. I wonder if Bell has even thought of using her power to look at One Piece.
- Location
- Earth U.S.
- Location
- Here
I fixed this, but it felt like a word a child might get wrong and the mental image was hilarious!
Lordamnesia
What are we doing again?
Go Usopp go! Be useful way earlier then in cannon, and do some good! It's awesome seeing him actually do something instead of grow up into a worthless character for the first half of the story.
Playing off the Devil Fruit lack of weakness there. Without realizing it. Because isn't even a little of it cause issues? Well, she's probably just repeating the exceptions that she learned about pre-eating one.
Until he finds out it's 'shadows come to life', probably. Since, you know, that is a power ghosts can have.
There's probably a Devil Fruit somewhere that could make it literally the case.
He'll be so relieved that it isn't actually ghosts.
Until he finds out it's 'shadows come to life', probably. Since, you know, that is a power ghosts can have.
- Status