Chapter 34: Part 4.2
I like the woods, a lot. Lots of interesting things among the trees. Like trees. All kinds of trees.
One tree, two tree, tall tree, short tree. The list went on and on. Then while walking through the woods I found a grave!
We all stopped while I used my hands to dig out the three foot by three foot grave. It was just so weird seeing one for the first time, and I just had the urge to see what was inside.
Lucky Ted was neaby and he spoke up, "Ughh, Boss?"
"Yes Ted?" I said as I shoveled away some more dirt.
"Why are you digging up this hole that eerily looks similar to a small person's grave?"
I stopped digging and briefly thought it over. The real answer was 'because I felt like it', but I don't think telling Ted that would sound very polite. If there is one thing I am, it's polite. Instead I formulated a much better response.
Let's see... Should I act like Magellan, Gurry, Fredigar, Kuzric, or Hannyabal? Kuzric it is.
I look off into distance, as if I'm observing something hovering above the treeline. I hope it gives me a mysterious look.
"Digging holes in the ground when you think they're a grave so you can rob them... Is that not a Man's Romance?"
Crickets chirp for a few scant seconds before the sounds of hundreds of people face palming echoes through the forest. One prisoner who I recognize from Level Five speaks out.
"That's not a Man's Romance. That's grave robbing. That's wrong."
I blink for a few moments. Then I ignore him in favor of resuming digging up whatever someone buried here. Whether or not it's a grave is up for discussion.
"Bah! He ignored you!" I hear the crowd call out.
A few seconds more and my fingers scrape through the dirt and hit wood. I scabble around and eventually find what I assume are the edges of a wooden box. I pull, and it pops out of the ground.
"Look everyone! I found burried treasure!"
"THATS A TINY COFFIN!" They yell at me.
I laugh off their concerns. "No no. I heard plenty about buried treasure, but no one has ever explained a coffin to me properly. In fact, I'll go ahead and say I don't believe in coffins because I've never seen one."
Klahadore sighs. Then replies morosely, "That's not how that works."
"Sorry, too busy opening this small treasure chest to listen to logic."
I easily dig my finger into the gap between the lid and the box and pull it off, splintering wood and bending nails. I turn the box away so everyone else can't look at the cool treasure I found all on my own because of my attentiveness. Mine! Of course, if there's a lot of somethings I'll be sure to share.
I peek inside and I feel my eyes widen. I start to shake uncontrollably. "I-It's- I can't believe what I'm looking at! It's like nothing I've ever seen!"
"What is it?" Someone shouts behind me.
I turn around and show the inside of the box to everyone. Then I calmly state, "No clue. You tell me."
When they see what's inside the box, I get mixed reactions. 30% look confused. 50% turn white in terror. 10% start to foam at the mouth. 5% shit their pants. The remaining 5% have happy expressions, as if they're reliving happy memories from their past.
Kreig is a member of the 50% that were afraid of the contents of the box. He's also the first person to tell me what I found.
"Tenno... Those are lawn-darts." He shudders. "The most terrifying creation known to man. Legend has it that the legendary pirate Davy Jones created them just so he could smite those he couldn't beat in regular darts. Almost everyone in the world has had a bad experience with them... I was playing lawn-darts with my father and I lost a toe because I was distracted."
I looked at the short feathered javelins laying in the coffin. "So... They're weapons?"
"Worse. They're weapons disguised as a game sold to young vulnerable families. It would be best to just re-bury them and leave them here in the woods."
I look at the box, then to Kreig. Then I look at the hole I dug up.
With one foot I push the dirt I displaced back into its hole. Kreig and several others look upset.
"No. Now let's get going."
XoXoXoX
Dalip swallowed nervously as he watched the broadcast in the going on in the center of town. He worked on the outskirts of town in his home where he made famous furniture from the variety of wood found on the off-season half of Brakka Island. Because he had to travel such a great distance to the town center where the execution of Fire Fist Ace was being broadcasted, he missed the beginning of the war that had started, and arrived just in time to see Straw Hat Luffy arrive.
He was at the very edge of the crowd because he valued his privacy. But from he was standing he still had a great view of the events from Marineford.
His attention was briefly diverted when he felt someone tapping on his shoulder. A deep rambling voice with odd pitch inflation's spoke.
"Excuse me sir. Might you direct myself and my companions in the direction of the nearest supply of valuables. We are from far away, you understand, and are seeking suck a place... Wow. Those were a lot of fancy words I just used. Hey Klahadore! Do I sound fancy?"
"As refined as unpolished granite countertops Tenno." Another much smoother voice replied. Assumeably Klahadore.
Dalip didn't even bother turning around and just sighed. 'Great. Outsiders arrive during a big event and they want directions to the bank. Might as well give them directions so they'll leave me alone.'
"Well, if everyone wasn't gathered to watch the war going on you could go down main street and hang a left. The bank would be there next to the upper class homes. But good luck going through town with this crowd."
The man Dalip assumed was Tenno sighed. "Too bad... Just for laughs, what direction is the bank as the crow flies?"
Without missing a beat and without thinking into it Dalip pointed torwards the bank.
"Ah. Perfect. Thank you very much. See Kreig, I told you that just asking someone can yield great results. Maybe it's time for me to check out these darts I found, eh?" Tenno said.
Then Tenno spoke again, but his tone had taken on a much darker tone.
"Moa Moa Hundred-Fold Giant Javelin."
With those words, Dalip was blown forward by a great force. He landed on his face but he quickly turned around and for the first time got a good look at 'Tenno' and what had pushed him to the ground.
Tenno was a giant of a man, much taller than Dalip himself, wearing a grey skull mask with red streaks and the number 10013 carved into it. He wore a prisoners outfit torn in the center and had shackles with chains attached to his arms and legs. He had three pistols tucked into his belt, a stick with a bend in it at the end, and what looked like a handful of lawn-darts. From the rip in his shirt, Dalip could see Tenno's chest, and the tattoo there.
The infamous symbol of Impel Down is proudly displayed over his heart.
Dalip knew that behind Tenno there was supposed to be a large cluster of small streets and homes. Instead, there was a gaping hole in that side of town. Like a giant bullet had torn through the entire town, destroying that side in the process.
Dalip was vaugely aware of the absolute horde of prisoners behind Tenno, but he couldn't stop looking at the man in front of him. He heard the words leave his lips before he could stop himself.
"Are you the Devil?"
Tenno shook his head. "No. I'm Prisoner 10013, from the darkest, coldest depths of Impel Down. Now I've escaped and come here. Oh, and I brought some people with me. I hope you don't mind company."
10013 looked behind him and stayed "Well, we're here. The important stuff should be through that hole I just made, but as long as you burn and loot I guess you can do whatever. Except attacking kids. That's just wrong, I should know. I was a kid once and it sucked when I was attacked. Go on, get out of here you wingnuts. Meet back here by sunset."
The crowd behind 10013 surged forward, feet stomping, yelling at the top of their lungs, and weapons raised.
Dalip didn't stand a chance, and neither did Brakka Village.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone