A Humming in the Grass

## A Bottle of Rum

"I told you it doesn't work, look." A youthful voice cried motioning to the salamander on his arm.

"Bullshit I tellz ya." Another patron at the bar responded, placing his finger on the salamander, he almost immediately fell off his stool. "I see the the sky, I see giraffes it's beautiful." He yelled through a cracked voice.

"I toldz ya bucky, the kid is somethin else." The bartender chuckled, placing another glass of milk in front of the aforementioned child. "You sure you don't want nothing stronger kid?"

"I'm good but thank you, appreciate the free rounds for my crew and I." He grasped the salamander and placed it on the table, in a small green flash it became a coin. "Please take it." He grinned as he grabbed the glass of milk and sifted through the crowded bar to find the rest of his crew. The boy only looked to be around 16, short with youthful face. His garments told another story. Long strands of fabric were clipped to the back of his jacket, making an almost impromptu cape. His belt was covered with a cord of rope and various pouches, a large book hanging from his right side. Various bits of fabric and what seemed to be carved wood also decorated his body. Finally spotting his crew, boy dashed up to the table. Holding his glass in the air, he shouted. "Another cheer to us! We killed those dealers and stopped the flow of Cartel Salamanders!"

Aosame rolled his eyes, his captain had been going around in search of the rest, but to no avail it seemed. Even though he was tall and super easy to spot, he grinded his sharp teeth. Maybe the alcohol was affecting him more than Aosame knew it.

Standing by a corner of the bar, Aosame crossed his arms, ignoring the stares of the many patrons from either nearby or far into the bar.

Asclepius sat on Aosame's shoulder, drinking a thimble of fermented nectar, seemingly becoming more quiet in his drunkenness. His cheeks burned red the more he drank.

"Hell yeah!" Alva jumped in, spilling some of his drink as he rushed beside Melodias, and wrapped his arm around his neck. "This is some of the greatest," a burp interrupted his statement, "Stuff that we have ever done. Don't ye agree captain?"

"I do!" Melodias cheered, clinking his glass of milk with Alva's drink.

It was good night for the Dewdrop Pirates, having just ended the reign of the Culligan Cartel on the island of Glint. They'd finally had some downtime in Glint's main port city, Gem. Glint was a smaller island along paradise, with lots of fields for farming and a large forested area near the north side. Not to mention the caves out in the wilds. But as the moon hung high over their port-side party there was something amiss in the air.

## Closing Time

Kaihime sat at the end of her ship as it finished docking. Her cloak blowing in the wind, yet her body still as she meditated peacefully. Today was the first of her hunt. The pledge to clean the waters of the tainted. Those who souls are corrupted needed to perish before they continued to spread their poisoned spirits. And Kaihime's blade Takemikazuchi, which rested upon her hip, was the tool that the heaven's decided to utilize. But could she stand against the entire crew alone?

Perhaps.

However, finding out such an answer would be a waste of time and resources. So she decided to bring along her favorite students so that they might obtain real world experience dealing with these monsters.

Kaihime picked herself up and bowed to the spirits which served the wind and ocean gods. She leapt onto the deck, her cloak calmly resting upon her military uniform. The short statured woman made her way to the cabins.

"Come out Fork, its time to get to work!"

Fork shook his head as he focused on his arms. He had gotten a nasty wound when he decided to try to catch a blade with his forearm. He heard that some people could make their skin Iron tough. Fork didn't want to be at a disadvantage against sword users. He wondered if could ask his captain about that. Fork was pretty sure she'd know a lot more then he did. Plus it was good to just go cutting your arm until you figured it out. He'd grabbed some stitches and stabbed them into his skin. "Come on I can do this."

As he was about to get it all done he heard the voice of his captain calling them up. He'd stabbed the stich in the wrong spot as he grunted more an annoyance than pain. He'd quickly finished up his stitching and then Fork would get out to head towards his captain. He'd walked out peering out at sea. "What do we got this time?" Fork asked as he scratched his chin. "More pirates or maybe some stray bounty hunters. Maybe it a sea monster that about to eat our ship?" He'd looked around seeing they just arrived in town. "Oh, we landed. I didn't even notice." Guess that ruled out the sea monster.

"We're hunting pirates." Kaihime said with a cheery smile. The first target on her list was said to be a frequent visitor of a tavern upon this island. She looked to Fork and noticed his wound. A warm smile came across of her visage as she rubbed it gently. "I really wish you'd be more carefully during your training...You're no used to me split in half. And you haven't mastered Rokushiki yet." A certain warmness radiated from her before she took several steps.

"Come now, before they prepare to leave."

She leapt off the ship. Her small frame allowing her to land gracefully upon the island. Kaihime made her way through the town, her hand resting peacefully upon her black sheathed sword. A force of habit for one who practiced her form.

Fork rubbed his head as Kaihime told him how they were hunting pirates. That was also a lot of fun to face off against pirates. She seemed to have noticed his wound though.  Fork looked suprised when rubbed it. "I'll be fine it's not even that deep." Fork grunted.

When she mentioned Rokushiki he tilted his head. "Huh, so that is what its called." He'd heard of the techquine what it could do but never got a name for it. Fork nodded when she told him it was time to go. "We not bringing anyone else?" Fork asked as he leaped down. "I mean not that it a problem I'm just asking." Fork looked back at the ship. He doubted everyone else here was of much use to Grandline pirates but if they tried to escape they would need eyes.

"Trust me, we won't need anyone else." Kaihime said with a slight grin.

Melodias leaned over the bar, grabbing his 5th glass of juice that night. It was orange this time. As he took it and began waltzing through the tavern once again, he spotted something. It was dark out but the docks were illuminated, he crept towards the tavern window. Peering through the glass his eyes met a ship with a very familiar color scheme, and two very suspicious looking people standing on the docks.

"Marines." Melodias spoke, loud enough to overpower the cheers of merriment. The whole bar dropped silent for a second. "Dewdrop Pirates, to me. It looks like we have to make one more move to protect the nature here. The rest of you, prepare for a possible fight. I'd recommend leaving out the back." As he spun to face the door, Melodias chugged his glass of juice. Walking with a lowered brow towards the door. As he did he walked past the tables, scratching them with his claw-like nails. It was upsetting, so upsetting. Marines dare ruin this night of triumph.

He grasped the door with his hand, almost splintering it as he dung in and forced it open. It flew outwards with great force as he exited, appearing down the path from the two Marines. He dropped his glass, letting it shatter on the path below. "What do you think of nature?" He called to them, his voice cold and ominous. Especially coming from such a child-like person.

Alva stepped out beside Melodias, inhaling and exhaling deeply as he moved towards his captain. Still clutching his glass, Alva chugged the last bit of alcohol, and held the empty cup in his hand.

"Capt'n, Capt'n," he begun speaking, closing his eyes briefly as he shook his head side to side, "Ye have to learn to be a little more....er, what it's called...."

He snapped his fingers.

"Stealthy. Yeah, that be the word. Stealthy."

It was Aosame, who now stood taller by Melodias' other side, that spoke up next. "...Are we really capable of not standing out?" One of his eyebrows rose highly and his lips curved down. "I mean, take a look at us..." Though, neither of his eyes left the approaching figures of the Marines.

"We should just be blunt and accept ourselves, no?" Aosame tried shrugging, then, he gestured for the marines with a vertical wave. "Tho', not sure if *they* will follow our example, sosososo." He chuckled.

Kaihime, with her favored underling, approached the pirates who she heard causing quite the ruckus. The second they reached an earshot, her hand instinctively rested upon the hilt of Takemikazuchi. There was no reason for her hunting these pirates first except for the fact that, based upon the reports, they would be the easiest to begin with.

*How kind of them to meet us out here!* Kaihime thought with a warm smile. Usually pirates ran off at the sight of Marines. But the gall on the Dewdrop Pirates brought a sense of honor to the swords-woman. This would surely become a battle worth retelling to the entirety of the world. Her marine uniform blew gently in the wind.

"From the Wanted Posters, you two must be my targets. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Captain Kaihime of the Marines. And this is my underling, Fork Gaslom. We will be capturing you tonight."

"No point in tying the town up in search, they're here cause they hate us and nature. Seems like all Marines do based on what I've seen." Melodias grasped Alva's bicep with an outstretched hand, the veins under his skin pulsated with green energy as his physique began to enhance. "I don't want to be here long, we have a lot more islands to save." He removed his hand from Alva, eyes still glaring at the oncoming marines. He felt sick just thinking about them.

"Let's get this over with already, I don't want to look at you." Melodias growled, removing a sword hilt from his belt. He'd become increasingly hostile towards Marines in his year at sea, they were always out to hunt him or stop him or exploit some island or animal. He could barely act courteous towards them anymore. He swung his hilt outwards as green mist curled around it, forming a makeshift blade.

He swept his foot across the dirt road, sending a cloud of dust into the air. As the dust flew up a green light bathed it for nearly a second before a swarm of wasps appeared. Filling the air with hums of death. In the same motion he spun in place taking a stance with his sword as the swarm shot towards Kaihim and Fork, stingers at the ready.

Aosame threw his arms in front of his chest, captain always had to begin the brawls with some sort of tactic. He didn't bother too much into it, even if he preferred otherwise. However, this time, Aosame did something he didn't think he would.

Large lips formed into a smile, Aosame rocketed himself to the right side of the dust of cloud, rather than dash through it. Muscles budging out, water leaked from his frame, adding another layer to his skin. Arms still in front of him, Aosame tried to dash into Kaihime and Fork with his very body.

No technique name escapes Aosame's mouth. This was simply him trying to crush those terrorists who deemed themselves Heroes.

**Fork gave his captain a nod. “If you say so.” She must have known what was best the two of them were pretty strong. He’d follow behind her waiting to run to the pirates.**

**When he arrived he didn’t speak he let his captain do the talking. Last time on a mission he had been late and caused a lot of problems opening his mouth. This time he’d let his captain explain to these pirates that they were about to be in jail. He was suprised there was not real bravado like the last pirates. He did want to tell the pirates they were quite boring but the fighting seemed to be starting right away.**

**Fork watched in confusion as their foe seemed to sweep up some dust. Did they think they would not be able to see them? “Hah, that….” He’d paused as the dust was turned into what he could assume to be bees. Was this one of those devil fruits? He had heard about devil fruits but he had never thought fruit would exist to allow someone to soummon insects to fight for them. Was that even useful? Scratch that, he never liked bees so this was pretty evil. Fork looked right at Aosame who was charging them “You got the bee’s I’ll take this guy.” No way he was going to attack the bees that would be too hard. Fork charged forward leaping at Aosame attempting to tackle him to stop his attack. “Take this!” He was pretty sure the bees would not come close with his ally around.**

Alva's muscular frame oozed with power, courtesy of Melodias's devil fruit sending titans of life energy coursing through his body. In the past, the amount of power had sent Alva into a frenzy and uncontrollable rage, however, by using the powers of his own Woshu Woshu no Mi, he could simultaneously clean his mind and heart of any ill-plagued thoughts. Therefore, he could harness the power that was granted by Melodias without worry of harming his allies.

As if it he had done it countless times, Alva's feet slammed against the ground in a rhythmic patter almost as if it was a jack-hammer digging up concrete. But then, suddenly, he disappeared, blinking back into existence directly in front of Aosame, and between him and Fork.

He threw his foot outwards, intent on slamming it directly into Fork's face after waiting for him to build momentum via a leap toward Alva's ally.

He was all ready to pound into his when someone got right in his way. Fork paused in confusion but that was the mistake. He ran right into the foot. Fork flew back blasted by his own force. If he could feel the pain he sure as hell would be feeling it right now. Fork bounced across the ground like a ping pong ball before sliding to a halt in the dirt.

Fork pulled himself to his feet a trail of blood leaking from his nose. It was broken he could tell that much. Fork grabbed his nose feeling it just to be sure on the matter.  "Man, you are strong?" Fork pressed a finger to his nose sneezing out some more blood. Now he had to fight two people at once that was not good. Fork leaped up and launched himself at Alva first since he had gotten between him and Aosome. "Alright take this!" Fork launched his hand forward in a series of punches trying to overpower him with a quick barrage of punches.