Chapter 12: Alvida Pirate Crew

On a coastline slightly removed from the forest campsite, away from the Alvida Pirate Crew's ship, Miss Love Duck, two men stood side by side, relieving themselves into the sea.

They'd strayed from the ship to avoid accidentally splashing it—Alvida would pummel them for such a mistake, a fear rooted in their captain's wrath.

Alone, their talk naturally turned to her.

"What's your take?" one asked.

"On what?"

"The captain. Suddenly wanting to camp? She hates roughing it and flips out over bugs."

"True. Just a whim, probably. Hope she doesn't lose it."

"It's getting tough lately. How many got beat up this month alone?"

"Yeah. Should we even stay on this ship?"

"But the money's good. Quitting now would screw us later."

"Ugh, wish we'd hit a town instead. Could've bought some company."

Without their fearsome captain, complaints poured out.

Finished, they headed back, grumbling nonstop.

"Doesn't add up. She's harsh, and not exactly a beauty to make it worthwhile," one muttered.

"Needs looks or a decent personality. She's got neither—just round and mean. The opposite would be perfect."

"Haha, right? If only her personality softened."

"Pointless. She'd never listen to us."

"Switch crews? Nah, probably impossible."

Crossing the plank to the deck, with nothing to do, they sat by the railing, raising liquor bottles.

No one would dare steal from a ship marked by Iron Mace Alvida, whose 5 million Berry bounty was massive in the East Blue, the weakest sea. Such arrogance came with being part of her crew.

Unvigilant, they started drinking again.

Then, a door to the ship's cabin opened. Someone emerged.

The men turned, expecting a crewmate, but saw a stranger—a boy with a blank look, holding treasure chests under both arms. Clearly a thief.

A heavy silence fell, eyes locked in an odd standoff.

The dull-blond boy dropped the chests, raised his hands, and said, "I'm not suspicious."

"You're totally suspicious!" one shouted.

"Who're you? What're you doing on our ship?!"

His words only enraged them. They drew sabers, pointing at him.

An intruder deserved weapons drawn. The boy, Kiri, stayed calm.

"No, no, not a thief. Just curious about the ship, so I explored. Felt a bit guilty, though."

"What're those chests?" one demanded.

"They look like treasure chests," Kiri admitted.

"They are! Get off, or you're in for pain!"

"We're no amateurs. We're the Alvida Pirates, kid!"

"Alvida?" Kiri asked.

"Our captain, obviously! You boarded without knowing?"

"She's scarier than us. You're dead if she finds out."

Kiri glanced at the mainmast's flag—a sideways skull with a heart. Unfamiliar, despite recently checking wanted posters. He might've overlooked it.

Real pirates, no doubt.

He bowed politely, picking up the chests. "My apologies. I'll leave."

"Hey! Drop those!" one yelled.

"You're stealing, you brat!"

Kiri tried to leave, but they blocked him, sabers raised. Unfazed, he sighed, dropped the chests. The impact opened one, spilling gold coins and trinkets—more wealth than they'd ever seen.

Surely stolen from Alvida's quarters, something they'd never dared.

Envy and anger sharpened their tones.

"Look, it's stuffed!" one said.

"Planning to keep it all?" the other accused.

"No way, just a mistake," Kiri said.

"Still making excuses?"

"Stealing from pirates and expecting to walk away?"

"Fine, I'll confess," Kiri said, smiling, strolling the deck.

The men followed, swords drawn, fixated on his every move.

"Recently, a big-shot pirate came to these waters. I'm his subordinate, ordered to grab any treasure I see. So, I snuck in," Kiri said.

"Big-shot pirate?" one scoffed.

"Name him, liar."

"You'll faint if you hear it."

"Spit it out!"

Kiri sighed. "Red-Haired Shanks."

The men's eyes widened, nearly dropping their swords. Shanks, a legendary pirate, was a name known worldwide.

They wanted to call it a lie, but the name shook them. They exchanged glances, rattled. Shanks' whereabouts were unknown, his territory unclear. Rumors placed him in the New World, but nothing was certain.

If he was here, it'd be huge.

Half-believing, they pressed, excitement rising. "No way Shanks is in this sea!"

"Why would he come to the weakest sea?"

"Great feats succeed because they seem impossible. Shanks is too famous to go unnoticed, so he hides sometimes," Kiri said confidently, his words carrying odd weight.

The men started believing him.

"Our captain's got history here. He's been wanting to return, and now's the time," Kiri added.

"What history?" one demanded.

"Can't spill too much to outsiders."

"You've said this much!"

"I'm only talking 'cause you threatened me."

"What?!"

"But sharing with crewmates is fine, right?" Kiri said slyly, glancing at them.

The men froze. Was he implying they could join Shanks' crew? The possibility thrilled them. Their captain's brutality—beating crewmates, dragging them on whims, offering little reward—fueled their discontent. Fights were rare, making life easy but dull.

A chance to join a legendary crew was tempting.

Their doubts faded, hearts swayed.

"No point convincing skeptics. I'll go. We won't meet again—"

"Wait! Is it true you're with Shanks?" one interrupted.

"Tell us, we believe you!"

Kiri turned, grinning. The men, desperate for a shot at greatness, fawned over him.

"If it's true, introduce us to Shanks. You get why we're skeptical, right?"

"You can take the treasure if we join!"

"Sure. He's close by," Kiri said, pointing behind.

The men rushed to the railing, scanning the sea. Only islands and ocean—no ships. Yet hope lingered, eyes darting.

"Where is he?" one demanded.

"You didn't lie, right?"

"He's behind that island," Kiri said, approaching with a harmless smile.

"Where? I don't see—"

Mid-sentence, Kiri shoved one man's head, pushing him overboard. The other followed, both splashing into the sea, realizing too late they'd been tricked.

Kiri exhaled. "Idiots dealt with. Let's bolt before they climb back."

He grabbed the scattered coins, stuffed them into the chests, and hoisted them. Heavy, but packed with loot.

Then, another figure emerged from the cabin, holding a chest—Silk, who spotted Kiri.

"Kiri? It sounded noisy. What happened?" she asked.

"All good. Let's get outta here. Trouble's coming."

Silk, sword at her waist, adjusted her chest and joined him. As new pirates, plundering was their only way to survive. They'd targeted this ship for that reason.

Silk had resisted at first but accepted it, though she sighed, gazing at the chest. "Not what I imagined. Piracy's harsh."

"Pirates are human too. Gotta earn a living, shop like anyone else," Kiri said.

"But plundering…"

"Even Piecemain plunders. We're just better than Morgania for not raiding towns."

"True… I'll toughen up. I decided to get stronger."

"It's about getting used to it. Embrace being a pirate, and it'll shift. Bear with it for now."

They chatted calmly but weren't careless. Kiri urged Silk off the ship, knowing the men wouldn't stay down long.

"Wait, you bastards!" a voice roared.

The soaked men climbed back, furious, swords gripped tightly, eyes wild.

Silk blinked, confused, while Kiri sighed. He'd clearly pissed them off. Maybe he should've knocked them out.

Their rage flared at his nonchalant face, feeling mocked.

Silk, puzzled, asked, "Are these the ship's crew? They're mad…"

"They wanted to see far, so I pushed them. They fell in," Kiri said.

"You tricked us!" one shouted.

"You're not walking away!"

"It's obvious Shanks wouldn't come to the East Blue. He wouldn't steal either," Kiri said lightly.

The men charged, enraged. Silk reacted instantly, tossing her chest at Kiri.

"Kiri, catch!" she yelled.

"What—?!" Kiri caught it with his forehead, collapsing from the impact.

Ignoring him, Silk drew her sword, facing the men. Fearless, her senses sharp, she felt ready.

One man swung his saber at her head. Once, she might've frozen, but not now. She crouched, gripping her sheathed sword.

"Stay out of this, woman!" he roared, slashing down.

Silk raised her sheathed blade, deflecting the strike with a clang. The saber slid off, throwing him off balance.

No damage, but Silk had the upper hand. As he stumbled past, she swung her sheathed sword like a bat, striking his head. The impact knocked him out cold.

The second man charged, saber raised sloppily. Silk, recalling Luffy and Kiri's fights, saw his amateurish moves as inferior.

She gripped her sword's handle and sheath, parrying his swing with her drawn blade. The metal clashed, and he staggered. She swung her sheath, striking his jaw, knocking him out.

In seconds, Silk felled two larger men alone. She sheathed her sword, confirmed they were down, and turned to Kiri.

"All clear. Sorry for throwing it," she said.

"Wish you'd considered the weight," Kiri groaned, nursing his red nose, staring blankly.

Silk apologized, helping him up. He looked at the unconscious men, impressed by her skill. Her fluid parries and strength were remarkable, the result of years of training.

"You're good, Silk. Saved me," Kiri said, smiling.

"You could've won easily," she replied.

"Maybe. I'm not hot-blooded like Luffy. You being here helped."

"Just lazy, huh?"

"Pretty much."

Silk laughed at Kiri's carefree grin. Luffy's antics overshadowed Kiri's own quirks.

She felt glad to be useful, smiling innocently.

Kiri grabbed the chests. "Let's get off this ship before more show up."

"Right. Our ship's a bit of a walk," Silk agreed, lifting her chest.

Their ship was moored farther off, a cautious choice by Kiri to restrain Luffy's recklessness.

Walking leisurely, they glanced at the forest, thinking of Luffy.

"What's he up to?" Kiri wondered.

"Maybe that 'tasty smell' he mentioned was these guys' camp. He's probably run into them," Silk said.

"Very likely. Knowing Luffy, it'd be weird if he hasn't," Kiri replied.

"Why?"

"He's a trouble magnet. Since meeting him, it's been nonstop: swallowed by a whirlpool, stranded on a treasure-filled island, shipwrecked, saved, then a town attacked by pirates…"

"That's rough," Silk said.

"I'm worried about what's next. Maybe he's born under a chaotic star. No easy voyages with him," Kiri said, sighing heavily.

Silk, trying to lighten the mood, asked, "Is Luffy okay alone? What if he meets enemies?"

"He's fine. He's too strong for small fry."

"But what if?"

"He won't die. Worry more about him getting lost. Last time, hunting took less time than finding his way back."

"Directionally challenged?"

"Probably. He admits it."

Kiri's expression softened. Thinking of Luffy in the quiet forest, he felt the pirate life, despite its hardships, was thrilling. The chaos wasn't all bad.

He smiled, looking ahead. "We'll find him later, or he'll never make it back."

"Right. As vice-captain, you've gotta keep an eye on him," Silk teased.

"Feels like I drew the short straw," Kiri grumbled.

"That's your role."

"Wanna trade?"

"Nope!" Silk laughed.

Walking side by side, they felt no awkwardness. Despite their short time together, they were true comrades, trusting each other.

Silk, new to piracy unlike Kiri, had initial doubts, but they'd faded. Luffy and Kiri's presence reshaped her view of pirates, for better or worse. She was adapting, smiling even after plundering.

The townsfolk who raised her might not approve, but her genuine smile would surely please some.

Giggling, Silk looked truly happy.