*CLANG*
Cherry's sword didn't meet flesh as she had expected, as she had hoped. Instead it had met another sword.
"Woah there, girl. We don't mean any harm. We're just here to resupply and go on our merry way." Spoke the red haired pirate captain.
Cherry had barely seen him when he moved to intercept her sword. She also hadn't heard the big pirate approach her at all, despite his size.
'These aren't ordinary pirates. I can't fight since I'm completely out classed. I can't flee since I'm being held up, not to mention the red head is way faster than me. Only one choice then...'
The red haired captain spoke once more, with a confident smile. "We really need those supplies, you see. So we'd appreciate it if you didn't go telling the marines we're here. We'll let you go if you promise to at least keep your silence until we're gone, deal?"
Cherry silently glared at the man for a moment, then sheathed her sword and said a curt "Fine."
"The red haired captain's smile widened a bit. "Alright, put her down Lucky Roux. She seems trust worthy enough."
Lucky Roux put her down on the ground and the moment Cherry's feet touched the sand, she shot backwards and vanished into the bushes without a sound.
"""..."""
"She got you good, captain."
"""Hahahahaha!"""
Meanwhile, Cherry is rushing through the thick bushes. She knew she couldn't outrun them, at least not the red haired captain. Which is why she was currently using a technique called 'Traceless Steps'.
It wasn't anything special in her last life. All it did was allow one to move quickly and silently without leaving tracks. It couldn't hide you from supernatural senses at all, but it was enough to hide her from ordinary senses.
Cherry was feeling quite smug thinking about how gullible those pirates were despite their strength. That didn't last when you ran face first into the red haired captain's extended palm.
"Yo! You're quite the slippery one aren't you, girl?" He gave her a lazy, teasing smile.
"How?" That question was the only thought in Cherry's mind. It was a question that didn't arise out of disbelief, but out of a desire for whatever trick he used to find her.
"Seeeecret~" The red haired captain teased.
"Will you tell me if I keep my mouth shut?" Cherry was serious this time. These guys were a bunch of softies as far as she could tell, so she might as well get something from them if she was going to keep quiet anyway.
The red haired man seemed to consider it. "No, but I'll give you a hint of where you can learn. You'll have to hang around until after we get our supplies before I tell you though."
Cherry sighed and rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever..."
"Dahahaha! Alright, you can keep Yasopp company while he guards the ship. Careful though, he tends to spin tall tales."
...
Cherry had pestered Yasopp with questions. Yasopp had tried to ignore the girl at first, but when he didn't answer a question she would stare at him until he did. Which was unnerving with those eyes of hers.
Every once in a while Cherry would sneak in a question regarding whatever trick the red head had used to find her so quickly, hoping that he'd answer it by accident. She almost got him once, but he was a tough egg to crack.
"So what do you do? What role do you play in this band of merry men?" Cherry asked, giving up on tricking him.
"I'm the sniper, one of the best in the world, too." Yasopp spoke with clear pride in his voice.
"Can you show me then?" There had been firearms in Cherry's previous life as well, but they were widely considered the weapons of weak mortals.
*BANG*
Yasopp drew his pistol and fired it faster than even the red haired man (who she now knew was called Shanks) had moved to block her sword.
Cherry turned her gaze to wear he pointed the gun and could just barely see a seagull in the distance fall into the ocean.
"Can you teach me?" She asked, genuinely interested now. Though the pistol was nothing special to her eyes, his skills certainly were. That level of marksmanship could be applied to anything.
"Don't you use a sword, girl? You look to be a member of the dojo here."
"So? Swords aren't exactly know for their range. Also, if I was ever in a tough fight with another swordsman, I could shoot him when he least expects it." Cherry replied, nonchalantly.
"What? Don't swordsman have some kind of code of honor or something? Isn't it unfair?"
Cherry looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Quibbling over fairness is for the weak or foolish. The strong don't complain when their enemy fights dirty. The strong can handle whatever comes their way, regardless of whether it's fair."
"Dahahahaha! What do you know, girl? You some kind of philosopher! Dahaha!" Yasopp laughed at her, but he agreed with the sentiment. He was a pirate after all.
"Alright, I'll show you a thing or too, but I'll only let you fire a few shots so make them count."
...
Shanks and the rest a the crew returned with their supplies, as well as some extra goodies so they could throw a little party for themselves on the beach.
Cherry mingled with the crew, listening to stories which she figured were mostly exaggerated. Though she would years later discover they were only a little overblown.
After Cherry left for home, Shanks thought to himself 'I wonder if Hawkeye knows about her, she looks just like him. Should I ask next time I see him? Nah, he'll just think I'm making things up. I wish I could be there to see his face when he finds out.' "Dahahahaha!"
There was no doubt in Shanks' mind that the girl would one day go out to sea and make a huge ruckus.
...
"WHERE IN NEPTUNE'S BEARD HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Grandma Angela was NOT happy that her dear granddaughter had stayed out long after dark.
"I was partying it up with pirates, Grandma. Was I not supposed to?" Cherry gave her best, saddest puppy dog eyes she could.
Although Grandma Angela felt her heart tighten slightly, she was getting used her granddaughter's cute act. "I'm not falling for that, and WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'PARTYING IT UP WITH PIRATES'?!"
Cherry chuckled inwardly. "They seemed nice enough, they even shared their 'booze' with me." This was a lie of course, she hadn't touched a drop of liquor.
Something inside Grandma Angela snapped at that moment. Her face turned to cold steel and she asked almost robotically "Where can I find these 'nice' pirates, Cherry? I want to thank them for their hospitality before they leave."
"I went to the hidden beach between the cliffs on the east side of the island this morning where I found their ship. They told me I wasn't allowed to leave and go 'shooting off my mouth' about them before they got their supplies. Those pirates sure can tie a tight knot, Grandma."
*CRACK*
The floor beneath where Grandma stood exploded into wooden fragments and she was gone. Cherry could have sworn she heard desperate cries for help from the east as she settled into bed for the night.
'Good night, Red Hair Pirates. Hehehehehe.'