122 Surprise! (1/2)

The emperor's flag waved in the wind as a sense of sincerity settled into the base of my stomach. Of all the imperial candidates in the world today, he could be considered the standard, the man that defined the title and gave it meaning.

The serenity of the island seemed empirically linked to that free flag, the joyous expressions on the face of the people that gallivanted below it gleaming with a sense of security that I had not seen even in the most peaceful of the blues.

For here, there was no pirate that could loot or plunder, no world noble that would shoot bullets from a golden gun the size that their brains could never hope to reach. Here, there was no marine that would thrust their world view on the free folk that lived here.

Angella could not help but sigh in reverence, her eyes taking an envious tinge as she no doubt put herself in the place of the baker hawking in the background. She superimposed the baker that she knew with the one that she saw, the one back on Ohara.

As we stood stock still in place, the people that walked past glanced over at us curiously before whistling on their way. Baskets in their hands as they went around doing their daily jobs.

Fawkes touched my shoulders softly as he urged me on, his eyes telling me to walk forward. My goal waved loftily over my head, I had been given time to worship and stand silently in reverence, now it was time to hustle. The time for worship was over, the next time I would sigh in reverence, that man would be before me.

I nodded equally morosely as I walked forward, each of my steps ringing in my ears. I remember when I trained, when I researched in the library, this man's work, his journey and his life had plagued it. Ringing, haunting and taunting me forward.

And as I stepped into the shadow of the flag waving against the skyline, a smile stretched over my clean face.

”Ok, guys! Go around, we're on a new island, be cautious but enjoy!” I smiled to the crew behind me.

Fawkes was the first to leave, heading purposefully in the direction of the market. Rein looked ruefully behind him before shooting me a look of helplessness.

”What do I do, captain?” he asked in a meek voice. His red hair and buff figure cutting a stark contrast to his squeaky voice.

”Look around, walk through the town and enjoy the scenery. You made a decision to make it into the world, now go ahead and enjoy its beauties.” I said, an uncharacteristic level of motivational thought in my words.

Barts looked at me next, not as clueless as Rein but still with a certain level of doubt on her gleaming face.

”What do you want to do?” I asked her, beating her to the punch. In the short time on the ship, she had become a core member of the crew. Our emotional anchor, even if I do say so myself.

A naughty expression appeared on her face, as if she was thinking up a prank her face scrunched up childishly.

”You know, captain. Ever since I left the island, I've begun to miss booze…”, ah! there it was, the subverting response.

”Well I can't help you there. Alcohol on board is going to be the piss poor imitation until we find a brewer willing to cater to the crew's requirements.” I answered dryly, a hint of saliva in my mouth as I remembered the fruity texture of the wines on the island.

The crew had taken a small sip of the stuff, and now the normal brew tasted like sea king's piss! We were hooked onto the damn thing!

”Weeelll, maybe I can go buy a few fruits and try and make an imitation of the elixir? When I was on the island, I always wanted to be a priest after all!” She said enthusiastically.

'Ugh. Why was everything she said so left field?' I bemoaned mutely as I nodded. And with the crew was dispersed leaving me singly under one of the few banners that I respected.

'Now what to do..?' I wondered as I walked forward, breaking into a small jaunty hum as I walked into the city.

**********************

Angella groaned as she tried to reason with the owner of the book store. She just wanted to have a little read of his wears, he didn't have to insist that she purchase it! She reasoned darkly as she negotiated in the futile enterprise.

”A hundred thousand berries for the lot, and no lesser!” He announced resolutely as he waved a paper fan over his face.