The Lion, the Demon and the Festival

They arrived just in time in the Conomi Islands though they had to sail a bit longer to dock near Cocoyashi Village. Ever since leaving the nameless island they moved for as long as the wind allowed them to and as for the matter of food they fished whenever they could and if they could they simply reduced the rations. They didn’t go hungry but it wasn’t much either so it was just enough to go by. They were all adults so no one complained. It was what it was. Couldn’t be helped. The rest of the crew, unlike Rina and Arata, didn’t expect much from this stay since it was a village. Catering to this many people certainly wouldn’t be easy if the village was poor. If that was the case, they would simply have to restock what they could and move on to the next island.

Arata shouted out commands as they prepared for docking and they were able to set the anchor down. All of them stepped out onto land and stretched out,’That one was a bit more stressful.’ He just chuckled and smiled,’You should have more faith in my sailing skills.’ She tilted her head to look at him,’Oh, I don’t doubt them. I guess I would just prefer if we could avoid situations like these in the future.’ The pirate simply nodded,’Me too.’ The only thing that could be worse than running out of supplies while out in the sea was being stranded in addition to that. A truly deadly combo.

He checked the map once again,’The village should only be a short walk from here. Let’s go.’ Arata announced and they began their march. There were no other ships docked here so they probably didn’t need to worry about it getting stolen. They could send someone every once in a while too to check up on it but leaving someone on guard duty would be a cruel punishment. As they approached closer and closer all of them were confused by a certain noise they were hearing,’Hmm, is that music I’m hearing? Or am I going crazy?’ Rina nodded in confirmation,’I can hear it too.’ It was faint but it was definitely there. When they arrived, all of them were quite surprised. The paths were crowded with people everywhere. All of them were lively and cheerful. All the stores were open and had stalls in front of them selling various goods but most of it was just all kinds of foods. There was also a lot of games that could be participated in. Some distance away to their left, beyond all the stalls, was a big wooden stage and on it was some people playing. That was the source of the music which could be heard from anywhere in the village. In front of the stage was some people dancing, couples or not it was impossible to tell, but the setting was perfect since the red sky provided a romantic setting.

Arata said in excitement,’A festival!’ It seems that the rest of the crew no longer had their doubts and were all excited as well,’Captain, can we?’ He nodded and gave them some money,’Sure go ahead.’ They accepted the money and ran off to enjoy the festivities leaving behind him and Rina,’Shall we?’ He nodded happily,’Of course, but first how about we get a room? Hopefully it’s not all full. This will probably last until early morning and I don’t really want to make that walk back so late.’ Before the event was over, there was no chance of getting some sleep with all this noise but they wanted to make the most of it anyway. That was the most efficient way. She agreed and they went on their way.

Before entering the tavern, Arata noticed that one of the people sitting at the outside tavern tables stood out from the whole crowd. It was a blonde woman that was drinking some alcohol. He had to admit she was really beautiful. Her golden hair was so long that it would probably have reached her feet if not for the fact that it curled upwards at the tips looking like large spikes. She wore a red strapless dress which went just past her large bust. He noticed she was wearing some kind of necklace too but couldn’t make out the details. The red dress was accompanied by white long gloves that covered most of her arms, while on her legs were black tights which ended in white high heels. On her face, it was clear that she was wearing make-up. Naturally, because of this she was swarmed by men but didn’t pay them any attention. She looked like a true noble. He wondered what she was doing in such a place like this. Her eyes met his and she smiled at him briefly.

Since he was walking, he didn’t have time to return the smile and simply entered. Looking back might have counted as staring so he wanted to avoid that. There were a lot of people both inside and outside. Only to be expected during a festival since it was the best time to drink. He went up to the front and asked for a room. Luckily, they were able to get one. Normally, he would ask for information and why the festival was on but why waste time? They wanted to enjoy every moment of it. Since it was around dinner time they went around from stall to stall looking for some new good food. Everything was really cheap so they didn’t have to worry about money and could just enjoy.

Once they were done getting food, for now, they got some beer and drank together as they walked along,’You seem really happy.’ Seeing her happy and smiling like this… It really was something else. She nodded,’Obviously, how can I not be at a time like this? Besides…this is my first time at a festival.’ He was surprised but it was the same for him. Villages don’t really get festivals unless it’s something really big. They only had a few parties here and there but that was about it,’Mine too come to think of it. There’s a first for anything I guess. You are old enough to drink though, right?’ Rina looked at him and smirked,’Do I look old enough?’ That was a trap. Either answer was the wrong one. He just sighed and drank his beer,’Hmm, let’s play some games.’ They didn’t know how long this festival would last so they wanted to try everything. They could come back for food at any time anyway. The duo finished their beers and went to participate in more festivities.

Most of the games relied on good aim since they were based on throwing or knocking things over. It may have seemed easy but it was far from easy. There were rewards for winning too but they didn’t win anything so far,’This must be your bad luck kicking in. Or we just both have terrible aim.’ He let out a sigh. The probability of winning in these kinds of games was actually pretty low. Most of it was up to luck. The duo didn’t want to linger on one game for too long so after a few tries they moved on. Even if they didn’t win anything they were having one. That was until they came to a game which objective was to knock down some empty cans using a pistol and rubber bullets. What kind of pirate would he be if he couldn’t aim a pistol?

He went up and paid for one go. This time he was determined. He would use this as a practice go. He had to knock down all of them with three shots. He fired the pistol but only managed to knock down two cans. Aiming at the joints was the most efficient but if he knocked down the bottom ones the rest would go with them. He paid for another go while Rina watched in anticipation. Arata focused and steadied his breathing and hand. Three shots, three hits. This time he aimed at the bottom which was the harder option but it paid off. Both the owner and Rina clapped as he smiled happily,’What reward do you want?’ Arata looked to Rina,’Which one do you want?’ She looked surprised but happy at the same time. With a blush, she pointed at a plushie,’That one.’ The owner gave it to her and she held it close to her chest, hugging it,’Thank you.’ She said as she looked at Arata. It was definitely worth it.

WC: 1,434

The festival continued and they kept enjoying every minute of it. At least two hours have passed since they arrived so the sky was now dark. As a solution to the darkness, a large bonfire was set up near the stage while smaller torches were set up along the whole path, illuminating the way. It also made for quite a nice atmosphere. Night wouldn’t stop them, the fun had to go on! The rest of the crewmembers were all scattered about also participating in the festivities. An event like this was something everyone waited for. A break from all the fighting. It was just perfect for them. After Arata won the plushie for Rina they had more food and beer. They didn’t eat to be full but just enough to come back in an hour or so for more.

The pirate then looked towards the people dancing by the stage. How long could they just go from stall to stall for? It was time. Now or never. He looked to Rina,’How about you go and leave the plushie in the room?’ She looked at him confused,’Why?’ She just got it not too long ago so obviously she didn’t want to part with it so soon. He then avoided eye contact,’So that you don’t lose it… and I’ll be needed both of your hands.’ She was even more confused by this,’Alright, it would be a shame if it did get dirty or something.’ Rina then quickly went back to their room, leaving him alone. He quickly downed the last bit of beer and tended to his hair to make sure it didn’t look scruffy though that wouldn’t matter soon. She came back after five minutes or so,’So, what do you need my hands for? Is it another game or something?’ Arata cleared his throat and put out his right hand towards Rina while placing his left hand behind his back,’Will you dance, my lady?’ Rina let out a chuckle and then with a blushing smile she accepted his hand,’I would love to.’

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjP-jLdgwCA

Hand in hand they ran towards the area where people where dancing. The song just changed so it was the perfect moment. They got in sync and started dancing to the rhythm of the song. For their first time dancing together their coordination was surprisingly good,’I didn’t know you can dance!’ She said so happily to which he smiled,’And I didn’t know I had such an amazing dancing partner!’ She chuckled,’Who taught you?’ He was a bit embarrassed to say,’…My mum. You?’ She smiled,’My family too. Back in my village we had a wedding or two. I learned there when I was younger but I never had the opportunity to try it out again.’ In his case, he didn’t really ever have an opportunity so he just wanted to learn since he thought of it as an important skill. You learn all kinds of things living in the village after all.

The music suited them perfectly as they kept dancing. This would make the night much more memorable rather than just going around stalls and playing games. Everyone was dancing how they knew best or how they felt like it but it seemed that the crowd took a liking to them in particular. He didn’t know why. It was just two people dancing and having fun. Maybe it was because they were outsiders? But such things shouldn’t matter during a festival. They kept dancing until the song ended and there was a brief moment of silence before the next would be played,’More?’ He nodded,’Of course. Now that I have a hold of you I’m not letting go until we both can’t dance anymore.’ She chuckled,’How romantic.’

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVTj7JZOxA

The next song then came on and they continued dancing. This time they spiced it up more and added spins and other things into their dance. They might not have such an opportunity for a long time and they definitely wouldn’t be dancing on the ship. They wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. They weren’t concerned with things like what time it was or anything. All that mattered was the moment. They focused on their dancing instead of speaking but that was fine because they didn’t need words to express themselves. Although, he was paying the most attention to Rina during the spins he could see in the corner of the eye some of their crewmembers cheering them on.  He didn’t pay attention to that either since he needed to focus on the dance. She was the most important one now.

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdiX0SliSA0

The song finished and the next one came on so they kept dancing. Before they even realised, they were already in the middle of the area. The bonfire gave them a slightly orangey glow as they danced but thanks to it they were able to see. It seemed that their dancing also encouraged even more people to start dancing too. As long as there was space for everyone no one minded and just focused on themselves. That’s how it should be,’Better than walking around stalls?’ She nodded,’Definitely.’ The night was still young and they had plenty of energy,’I really needed this.’ Arata smiled,’The festival or the dancing?’ She didn’t take long to answer,’Why not both? But only in good company.’ He agreed. If Rina wasn’t here he probably wouldn’t be doing this right now and would instead be in the tavern drinking watching as others danced. The song was about to come to an end so they did a final spin and as they finished so did the song. The position that they finished in was that of Rina bending backwards and holding on to Arata while he held her back with his left hand and her left hand with his right. Their faces were very close together and they were looking right into the other’s eyes which made them both blush.

The duo returned to normal position and didn’t know what to say,’Let’s have a short break?’ He nodded and they left the dancing floor and returned to the stalls to get some more food and beer. They didn’t plan on spending long there just for one song,’You know, if I stayed in my village I don’t think I would ever get such an opportunity.’ He smirked,’I’m sure you would. At your wedding.’ Rina shook her head,’I don’t think so.’ He tilted his head,’No one interesting? You must have had a crush or something at least.’ She smirked,’And since when do you care?’ The pirate shrugged in defeat,’Well, me too. Back home we never had anything of the sort. Everyone was just focused on working in the same routine every day. I had my doubts but. I’m glad that I set out.’ She nodded,’Although, it wasn’t thanks to positive circumstances I’m glad we met.’

Arata agreed and soon their short break came to an end. They went back to dance and enjoyed every second of it. Every few songs they would take a break to recover a bit of energy and they kept going. As the night kept going, people naturally became more tired and thus the songs had a slower tempo with faster songs being played once in a while. However, that didn’t bother them in the least. How could they complain at such great company and circumstances?

WC: 1,220

When the festival finished, it was the middle of the night or almost morning may have been a more precise description as the sun would rise in about two hours. The villagers cleaned up what they could and started heading home for a good rest. Arata and Rina also headed back to their room to get some sleep. Their feet hurt from dancing so she took off her shoes and since the ground was solid that wasn’t a problem. They headed up straight to their room. They have had a bit to drink so Arata was slightly tipsy but was just fine. Rina on the other hand… well she was a bit drunk to put it simply. Clearly, she couldn’t hold alcohol as well as him.

As soon as he closed the door behind them and took of his shoes, Rina wrapped her arms around his neck and her soft lips met his in a kiss. It was a really passionate kiss full of emotions. He was surprised since she did it all of a sudden but then something hit him and he couldn’t resist. He placed his hands on her waist and returned the kiss. After a few moments, he turned around along with her and lifted her to bring her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist and as their lips met, their tongues started greeting each other as well. He was drawn in like a vampire to blood or like a moth to a flame. It just felt natural.

Rina placed her hands on his shoulders and started taking of his jacket so he moved accordingly to help her. They kept this up for quite a while until she lowered her legs to the floor and removed her tights. Then they started moving towards the bed, not separating for a single moment. When they reached it, she pushed him down to sit and once again wrapped herself around him as they kissed. His hands moved up her thigs until they reached her butt to take a hold of it. Her skin was soft as if it had no imperfections. Their lips then parted as she took off his shirt and then her own dress, leaving her in black underwear and Arata in trousers. The two started kissing again but Rina guided his hands to her breasts. They were of average size but they fit in his hands perfectly. That was plenty for him so there was nothing more he could wish for. He gently and carefully caressed them as they kissed. Things were getting hot in the room and it certainly wasn’t because of his Devil Fruit.

After another few moments, they changed to a laying position and Rina took of his trousers leaving him in underwear too. That being done she laid on top of him and pressed her chest onto him as they continued. Not a single movement was wasted and all their limbs were doing something. Arata then flipped her over making her go on the bottom and him being on top. From her lips, he started kissing lower and lower going to her neck, breasts, stomach and then he stopped before her crotch and went back to her lips.

Then they changed positions again with Rina being on top. Their lips parted and with her hands she reached behind her to undo her bra but his hands stopped hers before she took it off. It was as if he regained his sanity,’Are you sure?’ The setting and everything was just perfect and he was enjoying it just as much as she was but questions appeared in his mind. Was this the right time? The right moment? This would be both their first time, together and in general, so there was no going back after this. Simply put Rina was a bit drunk but not completely that she wouldn’t remember anything. However, he wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t regret it. He didn’t also want the alcohol to be the reason for this. If they were going to do it he wanted it to be genuine and he would want the same with anyone else and not just Rina.

It looked like she also understood this and let out a sigh,’You’re right.’ She did her bra up again and got off him. Things got a bit awkward now that the moment was over and now that they were looking at each other in underwear it was also a bit embarrassing,’Can you get me some water for the morning?’ He nodded and put on his trousers,’I won’t take long.’ No one was around anyway so Arata decided that he didn’t need a shirt. He went out of the room and downstairs to get a pitcher of water. It was more efficient than just getting two glasses and drinking them in an instant.

When he came back to the room, Rina was already asleep. That was pretty fast. He put the pitcher and the glasses on the table and looked at her. She really did look defenceless, especially now that she was only in her underwear. He couldn’t deny that she was very beautiful and he really did care for her more than anyone else. Arata put the bedding over her to make sure she would be warm and prepared his own bed, meaning the floor. He reflected on the night. It really was a lot of fun and he wished that they could do it again. He didn’t want for this to be a one off. Their journey was supposed to be full of fun and not battles. Just like this night. Since he was tired from all this he too fell asleep pretty quickly.

WC: 953

When Arata woke up it was well past noon, around 2 to be exact. He let out a big yawn. The pirate did like his sleep but he wasn’t used to going to sleep so late and waking up in the middle of the day. Usually, he would always wake up before noon but that wasn’t the case this time. Arata sat up only to see that Rina was still sleeping so when he got up he tried to be as quiet as possible. There was nothing for him to do here so the pirate put on his shirt, leaving the jacket behind for now, had a glass of water and then left the room. He ended up going outside for some fresh air and as he looked around, he noticed that not even many of the villagers were up and about yet which made him feel less bad about waking at such an hour.

Once again, he noticed the blonde woman sitting at the same table and she too noticed him and smiled,’Would you like to join me?’ There was no one else that she could be speaking too so he answered,’Sure,’ and sat down opposite her. She carefully looked at him,’I didn’t expect to see you here and especially on the dance floor!’ He was confused by this,’Have we met before?’ She shook her head,’No, but I have heard a bit about you.’ That didn’t really tell him much either,’From where exactly?’ She smiled,’I got a letter from a certain Wolf. We all did, I guess. He said that he met a Lion and that we are now allied with him.’ The blonde woman raised her necklace to reveal a snake’s head. There was no mistaking it. She belonged to Seventh Sanctum,’What is your name?’ She supported her head with both her hands,’Airi, and you are Arata.’

Arata looked at her once again,’You really look more like a noble than a mage.’ Airi simply chuckled,’So it would seem! I bet you must be curious.’ He wasn’t going to deny so he just nodded,’It’s a thing of the past so you don’t need to concern yourself with it. However, I suppose it wouldn’t be nice to leave you curious. Putting things simply, I used to be one but now I am just an ordinary person. A sort of ‘fallen’ noble if you will. I didn’t enjoy that life so I left seeking something more. As for the clothes, well a lady has to present herself somehow, right?’ The mage answered his question vaguely but it was enough. The last part couldn’t be argued with so he just shrugged with a smile,’What brings you here?’ Arata answered,’Just passing by, you?’ She let out a sigh,’I had some business to take care of here but all of that is done now. The festival started so I figured I might as well stay for a while longer.’ He wondered what this business was but they were quite secretive about their work. It was probably better that way though he was allies with them so he hoped to find out a bit more,’You didn’t really look like you were enjoying yourself though and didn’t the festival already finish?’ She chuckled,’Oh no, that was just the beginning! There is another three days left. It seems that this time they really went all out. Good for us at least.’

Indeed, that was great news for them. They could party to their hearts content. They really came at a good time so maybe their luck wasn’t always bad,’That’s good to hear. Do you know the reason for the festival? Also, is there a blacksmith here?’ While he was at it, Arata figured that it’s better to ask her and get information for free rather than to the bartender like usual. Airi seemed more reliable anyway,’The reason is that they are celebrating their freedom. They were under occupation for so long only now do they get to breathe freely. As for the blacksmith, there is a place you could get some weapons but you’ll probably have to wait until the end of the festival. The villagers are mostly focused on that now.’ He nodded in understanding,’As long as I can get what I need I’m not in a rush. Besides it’s a festival so I shouldn’t need weapons.’

Airi looked him in the eyes,’Are you planning to go to the Grand Line soon?’ Arata shrugged,’I’m not sure. Probably. I don’t want to spend my whole time in East Blue. We’ve visited the bigger places now so there isn’t much left to see here. We will be heading to Loguetown soon, I guess.’ The mage listened indifferent to his answer,’I see. You crew has grown in size but are you sure you’re ready for the Grand Line? Make no mistake, I don’t doubt yours and the girl’s strength but by the looks of it only the two of you can fight. I’m not saying you need a legion with you but the more the better, right?’ He nodded,’Some extra help would be useful. You got any suggestions?’ She nodded,’Some distance away from this village there lives a witch. Magic is something that is new to this world so she wasn’t exactly received well. I’m sure she would like to leave here as soon as possible.’

The pirate was curious,’I see. It’s worth checking out I guess.’ It was then that he noticed Rina has come outside with a yawn,’Hey, how are you feeling?’ She smiled slightly,’Apart from a small headache I will be fine, you?’ He nodded,’I’m fine, a bit sleepy though.’ She sat beside him and Airi laughed,’You guys are young you should be bursting with energy!’ He sighed,’Says the one who sat at the table the whole time.’ She smiled,’If I had someone to dance with I would.’ Arata wasn’t sure if he was supposed to feel sad or take that as a suggestion since it was hard to tell at this point. He took this opportunity to introduce the two girls together. The first question that Rina asked was,’Why a snake?’ It was something he wanted to ask too so he looked to Airi who just let out a sigh,’I wonder that too sometimes. Apparently, it’s because when I get my ‘fangs’ out it’s definitely going to leave a mark. It’s more to do with combat than personality in my case.’

With that answered they engaged in some small talk before Rina asked,’Have you guys eaten yet? It’s too late to call it breakfast or lunch but we need to start our day somehow.’ They both shook their head and Arata went to order some food for everyone. More and more people were up now but they didn’t have to wait long to get their meals. After they were done eating the pirate stretched out,’I suppose we should make the most of our day before the festival resumes so we will go and visit that witch.’ He told Rina what she missed while she was still sleeping and Airi gave them the directions to where the witch lived. The duo paid for their meal and headed off to meet this potential new member.

WC: 1,198

The duo was walking along a path that didn’t seem to be used often but either way it wasn’t in the best state. They were now out of the village and following the directions that Airi gave them and they’ve been walking for a good 10 minutes now,’I leave you for a moment and you are already with a different woman and now we are going to another one.’ Rina let out a sigh,’What am I supposed to do with you?’ When she said it like that it did put him in a bad light but he knew she wasn’t being entirely serious so he just smiled,’Trust me.’ She looked up at him,’I do.’ The white-haired girl then looked down,’So…about yesterday… I’m sorry, I got a bit carried away.’ Images of them making out flashed in front of his eyes but he just kept smiling and looked at her. It was an honest smile,’Don’t apologise, your feelings are not wrong. Besides, we both had fun.’

Rina cheered up after hearing this,’Alright. Is there anything you want to say to me?’ He thought for a moment and nodded,’You look great in underwear. No doubt you would look even better without it.’ She laughed and lightly punched him in the arm,’Idiot.’ She couldn’t not laugh at such a statement but it did also make her blush. Rina then reached out for his hand. Arata accepted it and they walked along hand in hand.

Eventually they reached their destination which turned out to be a medium sized wooden hut. They were told that actually this was meant to be a store and that the witch sold various things. Arata thought for a moment before proceeding. He wasn’t just going to walk in and say ‘Hey, join my crew.’ He had to analyse this person to determine if he wanted someone like her along with them. Their hands split apart and they both walked in. Right in front of them is what seemed to be a counter and sitting behind it was a girl. She was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a blue skirt that was around knee length. She didn’t reveal much of her legs either since she was wearing long boots that reached up to the middle of her shins and the rest was tights. Her hair colour was also quite unique as it was that of a reddish pink that reached the middle of her neck while her blue eyes were fixated on a book.

The girl looked up at them, indifferent to their presence,’How can I help?’ Arata didn’t know what to say so he decided to ask a simple question,’What do you sell?’ She listened carefully and answered just as simply,’Lots of things, mainly herbs, medicine and some potions. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?’ Right now, her speech was that of an ordinary shopkeeper and wasn’t showing much of her personality. Arata scratched his head at the question,’Do you have anything for headaches?’ She looked surprised at him. Of all the possible reasons, he came to a witch for a headache remedy? The witch nodded,’I do,’ before leaving the counter and fetching some kind of herb and returning,’If you add this to your tea it should ease up after a while.’ He paid up the specified price and took the herb in a small packet,’How is business in general?’

She looked at him weirdly,’Not especially good but I get by. You aren’t from around here are you?’ He nodded,’We are pirates.’ The witch looked at him with curiousity,’Did the villagers tell you about me?’ He shook his head,’No, a certain woman recommended you to us.’ She then realised who it was since it was her most recent customer,’I see.’ If Airi hadn’t come here then obviously none of them would have known that she lived here,’You don’t participate in the festival?’ She let out a sigh,’I’m not welcome. Even though most of the villagers have come to me to solve their problems at one point or another I’m still hated.’ It was the answer that he expected,’Would you want to?’ The girl looked at him stunned,’And do what? Going to festivals alone is boring and for me it is dangerous since everyone would hate my presence.’

Arata then asked with a smile,’Would you like to leave the island?’ She let out a chuckle,’Of course, as far away as possible!’ The pirate got the answer that he wanted,’You can trust us.’ He then looked to Rina,’Show her.’ The white-haired girl took on her demon form for a brief moment and then reverted back. The witch was shocked,’You have magic!’ Rina nodded,’I’m not a natural mage but yes I do.’ Arata then told her what happened to the world and how more and more magic users roam about it now. She was excluded from the world so she didn’t even know what was happening. The news seemed to hit hard and she didn’t know what to say. Arata scratched his head,’My name is Arata and this is Rina. What’s your name?’ The witch answered,’Setsuna.’ He smiled,’Well then Setsuna, we will be staying on the island for a few more days but when we do leave do you want to come with us?’ Setsuna didn’t seem sure and didn’t answer,’You don’t need to answer now. We will let you think about it so for now I guess we will be going back to the village.’ They turned around and with a farewell left to walk back to the village, hand in hand.

When they came back, Arata made some tea for Rina by using the herb and they sat at a table outside the tavern. Airi didn’t seem to be around so they just went about things normally. She looked at the tea suspiciously. It took on a greenish colour because of the herb,’Might as well put it to good use.’ She took a small sip and then looked at it,’It tastes…weird.’ Arata reached out for the cup,’Here, let me try,’ before taking a sip and giving it back. It definitely didn’t taste the way they were used to. Instead of a bitter taste the tea was now more sour. It wasn’t undrinkable but it wasn’t something you drank for pleasure either,’It doesn’t taste too bad. Medicine doesn’t usually taste good anyway.’ As she drank the tea they had some small talk,’So, what do you think about Setsuna?’ He shrugged,’It’s too hard to tell at this point but I’m willing to take a risk. If she doesn’t want to be here and the villagers hate her then taking her with us would be a good solution.’ She agreed to this. If they could help someone then why not?

Evening came and the festival continued. Arata and Rina participated in the festivities just like the previous day they had some food, played some games and ended up dancing. When the song was about to end Rina spoke out,’I think I’m going to have a break for now. How about you go and dance with Airi in the mean time?’ He was really surprised by this,’You won’t be mad if I do?’ She chuckled,’Why would I be? I can’t have you all for myself. Besides, I think she might be a bit lonely. You spend so much time with me so I don’t mind if you spare some time for someone else.’ He then nodded,’If you say so then I will take the opportunity.’ It’s not that he felt eager to do so but what Airi told them did make them feel a little sad. A festival was a time of happiness so no one should feel lonely.

Arata then went to find Airi while Rina went to get a drink. He found her at her usual spot and put out his hand,’Will you dance with me?’ She looked at him surprised and chuckled,’Aren’t I a bit too old for you?’ He smiled,’You seem just fine to me.’ She too smiled because of this,’So be it,’ and accepted his hand. The jaws of men dropped as she accepted since their advances were ignored. How could they be outdone by a kid? Arata and Airi arrived on the dance floor and engage in casual dance. Nothing to spectacular but they were having fun,’It’s been a while since I last danced.’ He asked curiously,’How long?’ She chuckled,’Are you trying to guess my age? Good luck with that! Anyway, the last time was when my parents tried to get me married to another noble. I had to learn and practice but in the end the wedding never came to be. I ran away before it happened.’ This made him even more curious,’Is that what made you run away?’ She answered,’No, that wasn’t the only reason. However, it might be safe to say that it was a sort of breaking point for me.’

Airi was definitely more talkative than Fujimoto and the way she talked made her seem like someone who is quite cheerful in spite of her past. He didn’t know if she was enjoying herself but this was the least he could do,’And your age?’ She laughed,’Shameless!’ It was like they say the best make up for a woman was her smile. If he did manage to make her night better then his objective was complete. They danced for a few more songs until Airi stopped,’That’s enough for now. You should go and tend to Rina rather than worrying about me. It was fun though. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.’ She gave an honest smile and walked off and brought Rina to him.

For the rest of the night he was dancing with her until the event came to an end. His feet hurt much more than yesterday since today they focused more on the dancing and kept other things to a minimum. They returned to their room. Unlike yesterday, this time they didn’t drink much so they were completely sober,’You know that herb really did help.’ He stretched out,’I’m glad I could help. Can’t have my dancing partner not enjoy herself because of a headache.’ Rina let out a yawn,’Thank you for your consideration. Since we are on the topic of that, you slept on the floor again didn’t you?’ He scratched his head and nodded making her sigh,’Idiot. If you can sleep in a bed on your own ship why can’t you do it here?’ Arata answered,’There isn’t enough space.’ Rina shook her head,’That’s not true. We’ll manage.’ She said so with a blush. How could he refuse such kindness? Since the bed was a single bed the only way this was feasible was by both of them sleeping on their side. It definitely beat sleeping on the floor that was for certain. Nothing else could match this warmth. Arata put his hand over Rina and they fell asleep.

WC: 1,812

The duo woke up at a similar time to yesterday but there was nothing wrong with that. Luckily, none of them moved too much during the night so no one fell off the bed. He felt much more rested than sleeping on the floor but he still wasn’t quite used to this sleeping schedule. They shifted a bit not wanting to get out of bed and now Arata was laying on his back while Rina was on her side with her head resting on his left shoulder,’I’m really not used to sleeping like this.’ There were two things that she could mean so he asked,’You mean the time or with someone else?’ Rina answered briefly,’Both.’ He agreed,’Me too.’ She let out a yawn,’I did tell you we would manage.’ Indeed, they did and he didn’t regret taking up the suggestion.

They continued to lay in bed until they were fully awake and Rina’s stomach growled followed by his,’I guess that’s a sign to get out of bed.’ They lazily got out and got dressed before leaving the room to get some breakfast. Just like yesterday they didn’t have to wait long and sat at one of the tables outside,’So..do you know where our members are?’ That was a very good question actually,’I have no idea. They will probably come around when the drinking starts. Why? You need anything from them?’ There were not nearly enough rooms for them in the tavern so they must have gone back to the ship to sleep, or so he hoped. They see each other in the evenings though so they were fine. She shook her head,’No, just curious. Since we are on the topic of crew did you think about Setsuna?’

He let out a sigh,’I did. If she is going to be coming with us then wouldn’t she need to come through here? How will the people react then? Will they turn against us just because of that?’ This made her think too,’That’s a good point… How will they react? Should we ask around?’ Arata nodded,’We might have to. Though I wouldn’t like to get kicked out from the village for associating with the witch or something of that kind.’ She agreed. If they were going to get kicked out for someone that might not even join them it could not be worth it. That might seem selfish but was rather logical at the same time.

After breakfast, they went to the bartender to ask about his feelings on the witch. They didn’t find out much since it looked like he tried to avoid the subject but it didn’t look like hatred. They went to ask around some of the other villagers that were up but they got the same reaction. Since they didn’t get many results they eventually met up with Airi,’Did you meet her?’ Although they saw each other in the evening they didn’t really discuss it. The pirate nodded,’We did. Rina showed her her magic and I told her about all the other mages in the world. We told her that she is free to come with us if she wants.’ The blonde mage listened carefully,’And?’ Arata shrugged,’We wanted to let her think about it so we left.’ She simply said,’I see.’

The pirate then continued,’The problem is if she comes with us she will have to pass through here. What if the villagers begin abusing her again?’ Airi smiled to his surprise,’If you bring her here… I’m sure it will turn out just fine. Things are different here than when she first came. The people are more aware about magic so their views are slightly different. Another solution to this problem is to have both sides get along together. That way they both will be happy and she might not even need to leave.’ That didn’t sound like a bad suggestion at all. The question was if Setsuna wanted to. They couldn’t force her to do anything. It was all up to her. This was also a good way to test her personality.

Arata nodded,’No harm in trying, I guess. Thanks for the help.’ They hanged around a bit longer and then headed out to Setsuna’s place. If they could solve this, the sooner the better. It would ease their minds and the parties involved. When they entered the witch was reading a book once again but quickly looked up,’You’re back.’ The pirate smiled,’I did say we would be back. Did you make a decision?’ She closed her book and let out a sigh,’Not yet. Honestly, after what you told me I have a lot on my mind. I don’t know what to think of all this.’ Setsuna got up and called them over to a table. Right now, she saw them as guests rather than customers.

He then got to the matter at hand,’Do you hate the villagers? If so, would you forgive them?’ She looked unsure,’I don’t know…It’s complicated. From their perspective, well I can’t say I blame them but treating someone in that way is just plain wrong. I haven’t done anything to deserve that treatment.’ Rather than hatred she just felt confused and lost. She was wronged, yet she had done nothing wrong. The villagers treated her like some sort of vermin but came to her to solve their problems. It definitely wasn’t an easy problem. However, nothing will be solved if the two sides don’t ever meet. They wouldn’t get anywhere this way,’Do you want to come to the village with us?’ She was stunned by the question,’The festival is on though, isn’t it? I don’t want to get in your way. You guys should go and have fun instead of wasting time on me.’

Arata let out a sigh,’You know that’s not true.’ Setsuna looked down and avoided eye contact,’The truth is I’m scared…How will they react? What am I supposed to say to them? What will they say?’ The witch was clearly full of doubt and uncertainty but he didn’t see that as something wrong. He himself was the same way a lot of the time but in the end him and Rina got through it somehow because they had each other. But Setsuna? She didn’t have anyone like that. Even if she lived here, was this really her home? He simply answered,’If you stay here then you won’t ever find out. If things go wrong I will take responsibility since this was my idea.’ It took her a while but she eventually hesitantly nodded,’Alright, I’ll come with you.’

The three of them made the journey back and the closer they got the more anxious Setsuna seemed to become. When the village was in sight the witch stopped and exhaled,’It will be fine.’ In the end, he could only repeat what Airi told him. Of course, he wasn’t sure what would happen but if Airi said it will turn out fine then it must be so. She nodded and they continued walking. Everyone should be up by this time but it was far too early for the festival to start. If things were going to go bad it was better to do it before it started. When they entered the village, everyone stopped and froze in place.

WC: 1,205

It was as if time had completely come to a halt. No one moved an inch as if they were paralysed. They just looked in shock. However, that had to come to an end eventually as everyone began gathering around the trio. He didn’t know what would happen next. Setsuna showed signs of fear for the same reason but Arata and Rina protected her. They wouldn’t let her be harmed if the situation arose. No one had spoken yet and it didn’t look like anyone made an effort to either. Tension could be clearly felt in the air. Eventually, the person the villagers considered as their leader squeezed himself through the crowd and was now in front of them. The leader looked at the witch,’Setsuna…’

She looked at him but didn’t say anything. The leader continued speak,’We know that we have wronged you. There is nothing that we can do to make up for it. When you first appeared, we were scared. We didn’t know what magic was. We’ve never seen something like that before. After we threw you out more and more news started spreading. That not only magic but other abnormal things have begun appearing all over the world. We realised we made a mistake but a simple apology wouldn’t make up for what we had done. We don’t expect you to forgive us but we will welcome you in the village.’ All the villagers showed expressions of shame and guilt. All of them felt the same.

What was the victim’s response? She didn’t say a single word and instead burst into tears. Being welcomed by those who hated her and rejected her must have been quite an impact. It was so easy and yet so hard at the same time. Human conflicts were usually like that. If only she came to the village earlier then maybe this would have happened earlier. After seeing her cry all the villagers got even closer and started comforting her while Arata and Rina got kicked out of the circle. They noticed Airi and walked over. There was nothing else they could do apart from hoping Setsuna wouldn’t get crushed by all of them but apart from that they were no harm.

The blonde mage smiled at them,’I told you it would turn out fine!’ He nodded,’It would seem so. It’s all thanks to you.’ She shook her head,’Me? No. You are the one that brought her. I just told you of her existence. That’s all.’ He really didn’t think that their talk with her was such a big thing,’Without you we wouldn’t have known. Besides, you could have done it yourself.’ Airi shrugged,’I could have yes but she needed someone like you two. Someone that will understand her and that she can confide in.’ He let out a sigh in defeat,’Well, if you put it that way then I can’t protest.’ The duo spent some more time with Airi while Sestuna was talking with the villagers one by one. They probably had a lot to discuss.

Arata and Rina eventually returned to their room to have a small break before the evening came. They laid down on the bed just like in the morning so that they both fit,’So another problem solved.’ He let out a sigh,’At least this time we weren’t the cause of the problem.’ She let out a chuckle,’I could certainly get used to that but at the same time I don’t think I want to be always solving people’s problems.’ He agreed,’Yup, eventually we will come upon a fight that is beyond us. It’s very tiring too.’ Being selfless may have been a good trait but at the same time that wasn’t what they wanted. They wanted to care for themselves too. If they could help someone then great, but the priority should always be themselves.

‘Are we going to the Grand Line soon?’ Rina asked since they were on the topic of fighting. Airi asked him a similar question the day before so he would give the same answer,’I guess so. What’s your opinion on this?’ She thought for a while before answering,’It would make sense. It’s just that I’m not sure what to really expect. If our hardships haven’t even begun then honestly that kind of scares me. I’m just a normal girl. I don’t want to be caught up in national conflicts. I want good times like these to last forever.’ Arata brought his left hand over to her head and started petting her. He had the same doubts as her. How big was the strength gap between here and there? Will they be able to manage? He also didn’t want to be involved in any wars or something. However, there was one thing he was sure about,’As long as we have each other then we should be able to pull through most things.’

There was a brief moment of silence before she responded,’I hope so.’ He let out a sigh,’Have more faith in yourself. You are the second strongest in the crew. It’s true we are just ordinary people and the things we can do by ourselves are limited but together… there is so much more that we can achieve.’ She smiled although he couldn’t see it,’You’re right. I can’t be doubting myself because then you will start doubting yourself too. I can’t have that happening.’ Rina said so as she extended her arm in an embrace. Before they realised, they drifted off and ended up taking a nap. They were woken up by the music from the festival starting.

They got up and put their shoes on to leave the tavern. Soon enough Setsuna found them and came up to them. With a smile she said,’Thank you.’ Arata and Rina both smiled too,’Are you having fun?’ The witch nodded,’I am but I would like to spend some time with you two. Can I?’ They too nodded,’Of course. Let’s go!’ The three of them went off and participated in the festivities. Setsuna was excited about every little detail just like they were when they came here. It was good to see her happy. They would never be able to erase her pain but if they could start making happy memories with her then maybe that would be enough. He didn’t know that for sure. Everyone was different when it came to that.

They participated in food, games and dancing as the night went on. Even Airi joined in with them and they had fun as a four. Back in his village this would have been impossible but here he was surrounded by three beautiful women. What more could a man want? At the current moment, he was dancing with Setsuna while the other two went to get some food. It seemed like he wouldn’t be getting a break any time soon as the demand for him was high,’Do you always just appear out of nowhere and change people’s lives like this?’ Arata chuckled,’So far that would seem to be the case. It’s not on purpose I swear!’

She gave him a doubtful look but it was obviously in good fun,’What was life like for you before you came here?’ The witch smiled,’I was happy. I was part of a small guild so I was often sent on missions being one of the strongest ones. Obivously, we didn’t get a lot of big missions but the rewards were enough. We didn’t live in luxury but we weren’t poor either. Though I guess what is normal for me is unthinkable for you. I come from a city and not the kind you have seen. Where I come from its… how to say it, more developed. Both in terms of infrastructure and technology. This isn’t saying that this place is bad, it’s actually quite a nice change of scenery. Even if you live in a city, seeing the same buildings everyday can get boring.’

Arata listened as she spoke. She was right, he couldn’t image what this place was like. He only knows what he has seen and he hasn’t seen much of the world yet,’What about your guild members? Do you know if they came here with you?’ Setsuna shook her head,’No idea. I don’t even know if it’s possible for me to go back home. It does pain my heart knowing that I may never get to see them ever again.’ That would certainly be a situation that he wouldn’t want to be put it. What if he randomly got teleported away from the crew without them knowing? Would they think he just left them or ran away? Her guildmembers must be worried about her. If her city was transported here too then he would definitely want to take her there,’I’m sure you will see them again someday. If there is a way of coming here then there must be a way to leave. If you reversed the spell wouldn’t it have the opposite effect?’

Setsuna let out a sigh,’I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. For a spell to have a different effect than intended you would need a lot of skill and the incantation would need to be slightly changed. However, what brought me here… I wouldn’t call that magic. There is no clear way of knowing what it is. Perhaps the force of the universe? If so something like that can’t be fought against. Who knows. I will try not to lose hope though.’ On further thinking, he couldn’t help but agree. If this was a magic spell then how powerful would the caster have to be to create such an effect? It didn’t seem possible for a single human to change the world so drastically.

The night continued but it eventually had to end. The witch wanted to leave earlier since she had to walk back but a villager a room so she ended up staying. It was too dark for such a trip anyway so he was a bit happy that she didn’t have to make it. Everyone returned to their rooms to rest up. Tomorrow, or today to be exact, would be the last day of the festival. After that everyone’s lives would return to normal as they would have to embrace reality once more. From that perspective, the festival was like a dream come true. If the whole world could unite and party like this how much better would it be?

WC: 1,733

The day started in the afternoon like usual. The duo was slowly getting used to this kind of sleeping schedule but since today was the last day of the festival all was for naught. They would have to readjust starting tomorrow anyway. Arata let out a yawn,’Do you think there will be some sort of grand finale or something?’ Rina stretched out,’I would hope so. As good as the festival is, if we just walked away like the previous three days then I would be a bit disappointed. At the same time, it isn’t us who are organising it so maybe I shouldn’t have high expectations?’ He thought the same. If it just ended and everyone went their own way that would be quite disappointing,’Well, if there is nothing special I’m sure we could make it up somehow.’ He said implying the use of his Devil Fruit but Rina just sighed,’That wouldn’t be a bad idea. Could you control it well enough though? I have a feeling sooner or later you will burn something down.’

She did have a point since he only recently got his powers and he couldn’t fully control them but if it is a small fire show then it shouldn’t be a problem,’I’m sure I would be fine. I’m a bit worried about that too to be honest. I feel like if I was to use it in a town everything would just turn into ash.’ She nodded,’There really isn’t any advice I can give you. I guess it will take time for you to master it so just be careful.’ It certainly wasn’t very encouraging but it really was the best advice for now. They both still had a lot to learn about their powers.

Rina then asked,’Are we going to stay here long after the festival ends?’ He thought for a second,’Not especially, no. Not any longer than we need to. After we get all the supplies we need and my weapons then we are free to go. Nothing is holding us here.’ She nodded,’Makes sense. As for the supplies… looking how much is being used for the festival I hope they do have some kind storage.’ Arata hadn’t actually thought of that. This would be the fifth day of the festival. All that food and drink had to come from somewhere. It did make him wonder how did they get all of that. Any normal village wouldn’t be able to keep this up for so long. Either way he didn’t think the villagers would use up all their hard work for this festival so they had to have more supplies somewhere. Otherwise, how would they manage after it finished?

There was no point in pondering over it so the duo got ready and left to have some breakfast. Sometime later, after they were done eating Airi joined them. They made some small talk before Arata thought about yesterday’s events,’Airi where do mages gather?’ She was a bit surprised at the question since it came out of nowhere,’Well, it’s impossible to control where one was 'teleported' so generally you will find at least one or two everywhere. As for a place, there is one. It’s in the Grand Line and called Fiore. Normally, it wouldn’t exist but it seems it was teleported along with the people. It’s a really massive Island and there are many towns and cities in it too. It stands out since it’s so much different to here. Pirates generally don’t have much reason to go there since to begin with the treasure they are looking for wouldn’t be on that Island but human curiosity is infinite.’

If that was the case then it was possible that was Setsuna’s home! That would be great but for some reason he wasn’t feeling hopeful. Their world was probably just as big as Arata’s and Rina’s and that island was just one area so the probability was quite low,’Is that where your headquarters are?’ She nodded,’That’s right. If you ever visit we will welcome you…if anybody is around. You got a map? I’ll show you where it is.’ He nodded and handed it over while Airi inspected the map. After a moment passed she put the map down and pointed her finger at an empty spot,’There. The maps were never updated but it certainly is there.’ She got out one of those pencils that were probably used for makeup and marked a circle on the map. It wasn’t anywhere near the Reverse Mountain so it likely wouldn’t be their first stop but he was curious nonetheless. He wanted to see this island that was not from this world.

As they were talking, Setsuna seemed to appear and join them,’How you holding up? Did you sleep well?’ The witch greeted them and smiled,’I’m tired but otherwise fine. I slept like a log! I don’t think I ever fell asleep so fast before. I haven’t had so much fun in a long time!’ They too smiled seeing her happy like this,’Unfortunately, this is the last day of the festival so make the most of it!’ She nodded,’To be honest, I’m not that much of a party person but I can’t deny that it was really fun. Two days is plenty for me. Though I have to say I think I much prefer the festival atmosphere rather than a simple rowdy party.’ They nodded since they were like that too. They didn’t see the fun in getting drunk until passing out but this festival was just the thing for them.

He rolled up the map and put it away while deciding to ask,’So Setsuna, what is the city you are from called? Apparently, there is an island called Fiore that was transported along with the people. Maybe your home is there?’ The witch was surprised to hear this but showed no sign of happiness at the news and instead a sad smile appeared on her face,’I know of the country called Fiore but unfortunately that’s not where I’m from. I’ve never been in Fiore come to think of it. The country I come from is called Joya. The city is called Xynnar.’ Arata looked to Airi but she shook her head,’The only place with mages that I’m aware of is Fiore. There have been other places found too like an island with ninjas on it. You never know.’

The pirate nodded sadly,’I see…’ Setsuna let out a sigh,’Don’t worry about it! This is my problem not yours. You have more important things to concern yourself with.’ If he was in her position he definitely wouldn’t be saying stuff like that but she was right. As long as she wasn’t part of his crew, they had their own business to take care of,’So what are your guys plans after this?’ Arata and Rina looked at each other,’We will probably be going to Loguetown next.’ He nodded,’And then Grand Line.’ It was then Airi’s turn to speak,’I will be going to meet up with Fujimoto and then back to the Grand Line too. This wasn’t meant to be a long trip anyway.’ Only Setsuna didn’t speak about her future plans so he asked,’What about you?’ The witch just shrugged in thought,’I don’t know to be honest. Thanks to the festival I’ve gotten a lot of things off my mind.’ Airi didn’t pay much attention to this but Arata and Rina were different. If their role was ‘the ones to confide in’ they wanted to do it right,’Well, since you made up with the village you don’t have a reason to leave, right? It will take time but I think you will be able to fit in with everyone. They did welcome you back after all.’

The witch nodded,’I guess so. Anyway, let’s not talk about sad stuff!’ It seems that even in happy times they couldn’t avoid talking about sad topics but that was unavoidable. All four of them had their own problems and worries but how they dealt with them was completely different from person to person,’Alright, if you need to talk to someone you know where to find us.’ She nodded,’Thanks. I appreciate it.’ The witch then turned to Airi. Since the blonde mage mentioned the Grand Line she got curious,’How do you guys know each other?’

Airi then smiled,’Actually, we only just met right here on this island. The truth is that I’m a mage too. Arata and Rina met my guild leader and he decided to form an alliance with them. The leader Fujimoto then sent us all a letter to inform us of this but only me and him have met Arata. Our guild is called Seventh Sanctum. You can recognise us through our silver necklaces with animal heads on them. See?’ She said so and then lifted her necklace to make the snake head visible,’Arata has one too.’ He nodded and showed his lion necklace.

Setsuna was just as surprised as when Rina showed her her magic. However, unlike Rina, Airi was a mage from her world. She obviously had a lot of questions and the blonde mage answered them happily as best as she could though when it came to questions about her she was a bit more vague. Just like she was with anyone else. She probably thought that facts about herself weren’t important and since Arata had a small insight to her past he could see why. After the sudden burst of questions over the four of them continued chatting and passing their time.

WC: 1,584

Under the protection of the red sky the festival was in full swing with laughter, drinking, playing games and dancing. Although everything was mostly the same as the previous days, there were a few changes every day to try and make it more interesting for everyone. Even if not much has changed it was still a lot of fun. Everyone appreciated what they had. Arata and Rina were happily dancing together. The songs at this time were usually slower to give a nice atmosphere and so for those who were dancing it became more intimate. Their bodies were close together while they were looking into each other’s eyes and smiling. This time neither Setsuna or Airi asked him to dance with them, yet at least, so they had some time for themselves,’Is this the kind of place you would like to settle in?’

She shrugged at the question,’Maybe. Apart from the incident with Setsuna this really isn’t a bad place. While I’m young these festivals would be a lot of fun but when I get old I doubt I would need them.’ This made him chuckle,’Depends what you class as ‘old’. The villagers aren’t exactly young and yet here they are doing the same things as us.’ The white-haired girl smirked,’That is true. Is your village like this too?’ The pirate thought for a while and tried to compare the two,’Well, in terms of structure mine is much more spread out than here is. Everyone has their small plot of land for agriculture. As for people, I guess they are very similar. Everyone back home was always this happy too even though they didn’t have much. We never had festivals or anything but we always had small gatherings so they knew how to have fun in their own way.’

Rina smiled as she tried to imagine it from his words,’Did you like that kind of life?’ He let out a sigh,’I didn’t exactly find it very exciting to be honest. Every day was almost the same to me. At times, I felt like time had stopped for me. However, it was all I knew at the time so I never complained about it. I could only fantasise about what big cities were like. What about you?’ She too thought about it,’I guess my village was a lot like yours. I felt like you too but even if it wasn’t destroyed I don’t think I would ever become a pirate. I simply never had such a determination to become one. I wanted to avoid fighting at all costs and live a peaceful life. With that said though, I don’t regret coming with you. Actually, you saved me from despair. You gave me hope when there was none. You made me want to live again.’

Her response gave him a lot to think about but since she said she was satisfied he decided he should leave it at that. They continued dancing until they wanted a break and went off to see what todays changes were. Most of the things didn’t really catch their attention but they tried them out anyway. The duo was about to go back but then they noticed something on one of the stalls. The object in question was what seemed to be peach slices but they weren’t any ordinary peaches,’What are they?’ He asked the stall owner who smiled with pride,’Honey pickled peaches. Want to try some? For free.’ The duo looked at each other and nodded. Their interest has been piqued. The stall owner gave them one each and they ate them. Their eyes lit up as soon as they tasted it. It was incredible! They never tasted anything like it before and it made them smile. They understood the glory of this recipe. It really was something to be proud of,’Could you teach me the recipe?’

Obviously, the stall owner wasn’t too keen to give away his secret recipe but who would deny such a beautiful girl? In the end, he gave out and told her in hopes that its fame would spread while they ended up buying three jars which would probably be eaten sooner than later, especially if the rest found out about them. Since the product was one of a kind it cost more than the usual food from the other stalls,’Are you really going to make them?’ Arata asked while they walked to drop off the jars. Rina nodded happily,’That’s why I asked for the recipe. It’s a luxury we can have once in a while.’ If she could make it to taste the same way he had no reason to complain,’If that is the case, I’m looking forward to you learning more special recipes.’

After dropping off the jars, they joined Airi and Setsuna to participate in the festivities with them. Airi would be leaving very soon and they probably wouldn’t get such an opportunity ever again while Setsuna might be staying here so they wanted to make the most of it. Much like the day before they all danced, played games and ate and drank. The villagers would probably have never guessed that the four of them all come from different places and that they barely know each other. They got along so well that it just seemed natural and that should be how it is during a festival that brings people together.

As time passed, the colour of the sky darkened and the four eventually split up again but then the crewmembers approached them asking for more money. They tried to be considerate with what they were given but between ten people that wasn’t much. In an effort to prolong their fun they tried to cough up some of their own savings but that didn’t last them long either. Arata gave them more money that should last them until the end of the night. It would be a shame if they had to finish before everyone else but at the same time they had to watch their spendings. The pirate then introduced them to Airi and Setsuna and said they could keep them company if they wanted but not to try anything with them. Mostly for their own safety but he also didn’t want to spoil the girls’ fun through their advances.

Left to themselves once again they went to dance. The time was around midnight so they had about four hours left of the festival. The music was now faster paced since the red sky was gone and replaced with a starry sky accompanied by a full moon. They still had plenty of energy to spare. Everyone was just like on the first day. No one wanted to think that it was going to end soon. Everyone just wanted to be in the moment before returning to boring reality.

During their final dance, they both noticed that certain villagers began bringing over some things to the stage but they couldn’t properly see what it was. It made them curious but they kept dancing. It was the last one after all. After the song was finished everyone began gathering in front of the stage. It was then they realised what it actually was that was gathered,’Fireworks!’ Rina smiled and Arata was pretty excited too,’See, there will be a grand finale after all.’ There was a lot of fireworks gathered so it would definitely be something big. Everything was carefully set up and before long the first fireworks where shot into the sky where they exploded into various patterns and colours.

Everyone watched in awe and excitement as more and more people gathered. The next set was fired followed by the next. Arata and Rina watched it carefully trying not to miss a single firework. They weren’t disappointed. There was no better way to end the festival than with a bang.  As the show went on Rina spoke,’Arata.’ He simply answered,’Yes?’ It actually wasn’t like them to refer to each other by name so this must have been something important. Yet, none of them averted their gaze from the show,’There isn’t much that I can offer you. However, one thing that I know for certain is that I can give you all my time, effort and love.’

Their hands joined together and he smiled,’That’s enough. I don’t need anything else. I will go to Hell and back to protect you. I won’t let anyone else take you away from me. I will always be by your side until the bitter end.’ She happily nodded and they kissed as the sky was lit up with fireworks. The only thing that mattered at that moment was them and the fireworks. However, they didn’t want to miss the show so after a few moments they continued to watch it. Eventually, Airi and Setsuna found them among the crowd and they watched it together. Unfortunately, all things have to come to an end and the festival was one of those things.

WC: 1,488

The next day was used as a recovery day where everyone took it slowly and tried to get used to their normal routine again. Even though the festival ended everyone was still in a good mood and still seemed in high spirits. The majority of the day was used for cleaning up all the stalls and festival equipment so that the road would return to normal. Due to this, businesses weren’t really active so Arata and Rina decided that they could wait one more day before getting the stuff they need. Just like the others they didn’t do much on this day so they decided to help the villagers with the cleaning up. They used it so they thought they should at least help. Apart from this they hanged out with the others and time went by somehow until they went to sleep at a reasonable hour for once.

The day after that, the four had breakfast together and a bit later they headed to a nearby village to the south of Cocoyashi. Gosa Village it was called. During the reign of the Arlong pirates this village was destroyed however all these years later it was rebuilt and people began living in it once again. Their reason for coming here was that Airi docked her ship here. Her business was to do with both Gosa and Cocoyashi so she docked here and then stayed in the latter for the festival. It was time for her to leave so they wanted to see her off. The four of them arrived at their location to see a small ship that was nothing impressive but just a means of travel,’It sure was a good few days.’

Arata nodded,’Definitely. I’m sure you will miss us.’ The blonde mage let out a chuckle,’Of course! How will I live without you guys?’ They talked normally as it was nothing. This wasn’t going to be a sad parting. They would certainly meet again one day,’You sure you don’t want to come with me and see the old man before you guys head off to the Grand Line?’ Rina spoke out,’It would be nice to see him but we don’t really have a need to.’ The pirate agreed,’The next time we see him we are going to be able to kick his ass!’ Airi laughed at the statement,’Surely, you will see him before that happens but I will be waiting for that day! Maybe one day we can really fight side by side.’ He wished for that too since he would never want to have them as his enemies. They still had a long way to go but surely the gap was getting smaller bit by bit.

He then remembered something that Fujimoto told him back on Dawn Island,’When we last saw him, he told us to look for the Phoenix in Loguetown. To avoid surprises how will I recognise her? Apart from the necklace that is.’ The blonde smiled,’Oh! That won’t be hard. She’s a redhead so she really stands out. You will know when you see her.’ He just accepted that since it was a pretty good lead. It wasn’t like there was many redheads around to begin with so it told him more than it seemed. She then continued,’And if you want to stock up on supplies you can ask this village too. If one doesn’t have enough you can ask two. That way you should have enough. Though if you go straight to Loguetown it shouldn’t be a problem to begin with.' He nodded and thanked her since they wouldn’t have done that without her suggestion. She really was a great help but they couldn’t rely on them forever. They had to be independent and especially when it came to the Grand Line.

The blonde then nodded,’It’s time for me.’ First was Arata,’See you. It was fun.’ Next was Rina,’We will definitely see each other again. Thanks for the help.’ Finally, it was Setsuna’s,’Thank you. This wouldn’t have happened without you. I am in your debt.’ Airi shook her head,’No need to repay me. It was thanks to Arata too. You can repay him if you want. When you are as old as me there isn’t many things you want anyway.’ The blonde mage then turned around towards her ship and looked back with an earnest smile,’Until we meet again.’ Without further delay, she got on and sailed off. They waved to her until she was a good distance away.

Arata looked to Rina,’Since we are in the area how about we get some of the supplies? Should save us some time.’ She shrugged,’Might as well. Going back and coming here again would be a waste of time.’ Hence the suggestion and since they now had a fridge on their ship it didn’t really matter when they bought meat products. They turned to Setsuna,’Do you want to come with us or do you want to go back?’ The witch nodded,’I’ll come. I don’t have anything better to do anyway.’ With that agreed they looked around the shops and bought what they could. They bought quite a lot but actually they only got around half of what they needed. Cooking for 12 people was no easy task. Arata and Rina carried all the bags since they didn’t want to put the responsibility on Setsuna because it wasn’t her job.

The trio made the walk back to Cocoyashi Village and then to the ship to drop off all the food and they continued their quest for shopping. However, they split ways. Arata went to the blacksmith while the girls went to shop for food. When he walked into the store he saw the blacksmith working on something and placed his order. Last time he used two katanas but decided that it was time to change things up. This time he ordered one longsword and one saber.

The pirate thought that it was time to make a change and see if he will be more comfortable with it. The reason for this kind of combination was that the longsword was supposed to be for his power while the saber would be used for faster attacks since it would be lighter. When using both at once it could be quite a good combination but when using one only preference mattered. Due to him requesting swords that were not on show he was told to come back in a few days. He didn’t really like the idea of having to wait long but it couldn’t be helped. Something for something.

WC: 1,091