Chapter 21: Baiting
( Vanze POV )
After spending some time in the graveyard, cleaning Grandma's tombstone and offering prayers, we shifted to a hill in a green plain to talk about our lives.
Uta... I had a conversation with her. She's an incredibly shy kid, a stark contrast to what I recall from movies and flashbacks. Shouldn't she have been taken in by Daddy Shanks as his daughter? AU universe is mess up. Now, she is playing with my friends not far from here. Heck, I even lend her my mp3 and let Robin help her play with it.
Sister Mira just finished her story about how she found two-year-old Uta in a treasure chest at the beach where I used to train.
"So you are telling me she is either abandoned by her parents, or her parents tried to save her by stuffing her inside a treasure chest to float in the ocean while she is a Devil Fruit user. And because of her power, the other kids are also avoiding her, just like they used to do the same to me?" As expected of humans; they always fear the unknown. Pathetic. She is only a child who likes to sing, and she stopped because of them.
"Yes, the other kids are afraid of her power. Just like you when you were still a child, she is a lonely child. That's why I always tell her your story when you were still a kid, to show her that being different is not wrong, and she shouldn't be afraid either. Now, seeing her become much more open to you and your friends is making me happy. She rarely shows such a lively side to other people, after all." So that's why Uta always glances at me curiously. I hope Sister Mira didn't say my embarrassing moments to her.
'This Uta is really different, but her synchronization with her own Devil Fruit is really crazy. She can pull the other kids into her world of music when she is still a kid. Hmm, what do you think, Seele?'
[ Some people are destined to be different. Uta is like Hancock because they both have a talent that matches their own Devil Fruit power. It's like Nika for Luffy's; if other people eat it, the chances of awakening are close to zero. They will never be able to develop it to the highest stage. I suggest you bring her to your guild, Vanze. If you can help her control her power better, maybe Tot Musica can be fully controlled by her later, if you decide to visit Elegia. ]
'Hmm... I watched the movies, and that demon power is really ridiculous. But, the most important thing is I'm also a fan of hers. God... her voice and the songs are just so good. That's what I call a talent that only appears once every century.' Let's ask her later, but if she doesn't want to join, then I will respect her choice.
"So, did you also tell her my embarrassing story?" I let out a wry smile after listening to what Sister Mira said.
"Hihihi, you guessed it." Of course, she did. What did I expect? Sigh...
"How long are you gonna stay here, Vanze?" Hmm, now that she asks, I also don't know.
"Maybe only two days; the day after tomorrow, we will embark to the North Blue." Yeah, need to catch up with that event after all.
"So short... Sister will miss you again, you know? Oh, and I also got married two years ago."
Huh...!?
"Wait, what!? Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could have gone to your wedding if I knew. And who is the guy that you married? Is he rich? What is his job? Where is he? And did he treat you right? If not, I can definitely teach him a good and effective lesson through his head. Believe me." She just dropped a bomb all of a sudden, damn it. I could have visited her wedding if she had told me through a Den Den Mushi, but now I missed it and I feel bad.
"Okay, you can slow down there, champ. So protective of you, Vanze. He is Mr. Tim's son, you know him. He also told me your story when a certain six-year-old kid was fighting against pirates on his own." Oh, Mr. Tim's son. He was indeed there when I was fighting those pirates a long time ago. If I'm not wrong, his name should be Tom-san.
"His name is Tom, right? I remember him always going to visit the orphanage to see you and sometimes bribing me, asking what you like. I almost tempted to beat him if I didn't know he is a decent guy. Where is he now?" I thought that guy was a stalker, always following Sister Mira.
"Yes, it's him. He also told me that one time you threatened him that you would shout in the plaza announcing that he is a creep because he kept following me, hihihi. But right now, he is already taking care of his father's business, so he is not on this island. He will be back next week, I think." Tom-san, you didn't need to tell her that part, you know? Damn him. Well, at least he has a good job and a good enough attitude for my sister.
"Sister Mira, what do you think if I want to adopt Uta to be my sister? I want to invite her with us to explore the world, rather than staying here where the kids always avoid her. I want to set her free and be more confident to show her talent." She is Uta's caretaker, and I bet she knows her more than any people on this island.
"Huh? You want to take her? Hmm, I mean it's not a bad thing. You and her have a similarity; that is, both of you have always been loners when you were a child and prefer to do things your own way. I also think Uta is really a talented singer. It will be a waste of her talent if she stays here. So, if you manage to convince her, then I'm fine with it."
Sister Mira has already given me permission, and now it's up to me how I can convince her. Hmm, maybe let the girls also coax her. They appear to like Uta from what I can see so far.
.....
( 3rd POV )
At a lush green plain not far from the ongoing conversation between Vanze and Sister Mira, a group of people gathered, engaged in their own discussions. A big-winged guy was attempting to light a fire, as they had decided to make a small camp to eat.
"How was it, Uta-chan? The songs in that small thing are good, right?" a big sister, wearing a blue sleeveless shirt under a black jacket, asked.
"Um! I love it. Everything feels so different from the songs I used to hear, Robin-nee-san. It's astonishing that it can accommodate so many songs in such a small device," Uta expressed, marveling at the compact MP3 player Vanze had lent her.
"Haha, Vanze has a lot more weird things in his possession. Here, do you want to play with this? It's a fun game." A white-haired woman pulled out an old Game Boy and showed it to Uta.
"Um... Is it fine? Aren't we supposed to help Azel-san roast the meat?" Uta seemed unsure, but she was quickly dragged away by the white-haired woman to play.
"It's fine, Uta-chan. You can play with Yamato first," reassured the charming black-haired woman, attempting to comfort Uta with a smile.
Uta and Yamato finally sat down under a tree to play games together, while the other three gathered near the campfire, watching.
"What a cute girl. From what I heard, she also likes singing, right? Now it makes sense that Vanze lent her his favorite items," the black-haired woman said.
"Vanze appears quite caring toward her during their interactions. Uta is no different, perhaps due to Sister Mira always recounting Vanze's story to her, fufu. Perhaps he will surprise us again, Hancock," Robin responded to the woman named Hancock.
"What do you mean? Will he discuss our relationships with his sister and then finally confess to us? Umm~~" Hancock misunderstood Robin's words and delved into her daydreaming once more.
Observing Hancock's actions, Azel and Robin simply shook their heads and resumed grilling the meat. "Vanze-san has a kind big sister; they seem happy after meeting each other again," Azel shared his opinion about their leader.
"You're right. For him, Sister Mira is the last person he considers as his family before he met us, so he's definitely happy to see her fine. I feel he has that kindness in him because his sister and Grandma are also the same kind of person, fufu," Robin agreed with Azel's statement. Having witnessed their interaction, she found herself curious about her Grandma. Unfortunately, she was no longer around.
While they attended to their own affairs, Vanze and Sister Mira returned, and upon inspecting the food, Vanze noticed it was already afternoon.
"Ah, Vanze, you're back," Hancock noticed him and promptly shifted her position to be beside him. Acting intimately with Vanze, she drew the attention of Sister Mira, who watched with a teasing smile.
"You two look well together. I can't fathom that the little kid from back then would have a beautiful lady like you, Hancock, by his side, hihi," Sister Mira's compliment made Vanze stare at her with a flabbergasted expression, while Hancock felt shy and was about to respond when Robin suddenly interjected.
"Fufufu, don't worry, Sister Mira. Vanze is really an amazing guy, you know? He always helps and cares about us after all, right, Vanze?" She showed a beautiful smile to Sister Mira, but Vanze, who heard it, felt a chill down his back.
Hancock pouted, feeling her chance to get closer to her future sister-in-law being blocked by Robin. Sister Mira watched the two women with an amusing smile before giving Vanze a knowing look. If she counted Yamato, it meant there were three top-level beauties who had feelings toward her little brother, and somehow it made her relieved to see this. But she also prayed for him to be able to manage his current situation because she knew how dangerous lovesick women could be if they were ignored.
Before the situation could get out of control for him, Vanze suddenly shifted the topic to other things. "Right... I think the food is already done. Why don't we start the feast now? Let me get Yamato and Uta first, so that we can proceed." He ran off toward the direction of the two girls after suggesting that.
.....
After indulging in their meal, the sun began its descent. The group prepared to depart, but Vanze interjected, suggesting something to them.
"Sister Mira, how about Uta stays with us for the night on our ship not far from here? She can join us for more play, and we'll see you again tomorrow." Uta and the others, upon hearing this, appeared surprised, particularly Yamato, who had grown fond of the little girl.
"I'm fine with it, but what about you, Uta-chan? Would you like to spend the night with your elder brothers and sisters?" Sister Mira, already anticipating Vanze's inquiry, wasn't taken aback but sought Uta's opinion.
Uta, brimming with excitement at the prospect, nearly agreed on the spot but still inquired shyly, "Is it okay, Sister Mira, Brother Vanze?"
"Hihi, of course, sweetie. I'll be relieved if you want to spend time with them."
"Hahaha, certainly, it's fine. Let me share many stories from my travels, and we'd love to hear you sing as well."
With confirmation from the two individuals she considered her elders, Uta finally agreed to stay with them for the night. They descended the hill, escorted Sister Mira back to the town, and then ventured to the other side of the island.
As the girls conversed among themselves behind the boys, they soon reached the beach. Uta, scanning the surroundings in search of their ship, found nothing and couldn't help but question their situation.
"Um... I didn't see the ship around here, Brother Vanze."
"Allow me to show you a bit of magic, Uta-chan." Vanze strolled toward the shore and extended one arm toward the sea, conjuring a colossal black ship out of thin air.
Uta gazed at the spectacle with wide-eyed surprise; even her mouth hung open a little as she witnessed Vanze's performance. The others, having grown accustomed to this spectacle, understood that Vanze aimed to impress Uta by showcasing his abilities.
"Welcome to the Pearl, a massive black and gold ship capable of accommodating hundreds of people and even flying, hahaha." He explained to Uta with an exaggerated tone. They boarded the ship, allowing Uta to explore it with curiosity.
"Wow, it's so amazing! The ship looks cool!" She exclaimed while inspecting the surroundings, accompanied by Yamato.
"Haha, come on, let's go inside. Let me tell you our story, Uta-chan." Vanze led them towards one of the rooms inside the ship.
They conversed throughout the night, delving into various topics ranging from encounters with pirates to training and exploration of newfound islands. Uta attentively listened to their tales, finding the company of her elder brothers and sisters enjoyable. She also harbored a sense of envy, as her life on the island seemed mundane compared to theirs. Despite having her own dreams, it felt like they couldn't be fulfilled if she remained on this island because other people were afraid of her.
Deliberately, Vanze broached the topic to pique Uta's interest, allowing her to develop a yearning for their group. Whether this would influence Uta's feelings later when he invited her to join remained uncertain. Thus, they sustained the conversation, even encouraging Uta to sing throughout the night.
.....
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone