Chapter 22
Luffy and the others sail near an unpopulated island, and Luffy insists they will find somebody there. After discovering the island is filled with unusual hybrid animals, they are confronted by the island's guardian. Luffy and Nami discover the island is actually inhabited by a strange man trapped in a chest, Gaimon. They learn that Gaimon stayed on the island for twenty years to obtain some treasure, but is unable to reach it while trapped. Luffy offers to help, but when he reaches the treasure he finds that it was all taken before Gaimon ever landed on the island. Gaimon was upset when he heard this, but Luffy's positive attitude helps Gaimon get over his depression. Gaimon chooses to stay on the island and protect the animals rather than join Luffy's crew, and the young pirates leave for the next island.
You're the Rare Breed
Nami fixes Luffy's straw hat after Buggy damaged it previously, much to his delight. Despite her warnings, he pokes the hat and puts a hole in it, causing Nami to stab him in the forehead with her sewing needle. Zoro wakes up due to the noise and starts asking for food. Nami spots an island in the distance, and Luffy directs the ship towards the island as fast as possible in the hopes of food.
The crew lands to find the island is deserted and covered in forest. Luffy calls to Zoro, but since he is asleep, he and Nami go exploring without him. They find a dog/chicken hybrid creature, then a snake/rabbit and a pig/lion. Suddenly, a voice booms out a warning for them to leave before the curse of the island effects them, and that they will die. Nami and Luffy call the guardian's bluff, and Luffy is shot by a bullet. After bouncing the bullet back using his Devil Fruit ability, Luffy and Nami follow the direction of the shot and find a strange object resembling a chest with hair on top.
When they examine it, the strange object moves and runs away, but it trips and falls over, revealing a person inside it. Gaimon introduces himself, revealing he has been stuck in a treasure chest for 20 years and has not spoken to another human being in all that time. Luffy attempts to pull Gaimon out, but Gaimon claims his body will fall apart if he leaves the chest, because it has become molded to fit over the years. Gaimon explains he used to be a pirate and is happy to meet others who are pirates. As Luffy and Gaimon talk, the Grand Line is mentioned and they show Gaimon the map they have. Unfortunately, Gaimon lacks any specific knowledge, and cannot tell them where the Grand Line is.
Nami interrupts and explains the Grand Line to them. The world is separated into two parts with one continent - the Red Line - separating the parts. The Grand Line further divides up the world, splitting it into four seas and the Grand Line itself. The only person to conquer the Grand Line was Gold Roger. Gaimon states the Grand Line is known as the "pirates graveyard", and that although he has seen pirates that returned from that area of sea, they were changed men who had lost the will to live.
Gaimon goes on to explain the One Piece legend; in over twenty years, not one person has found the treasure left by Gold Roger at the end of the Grand Line. After hearing that it may not even be real, Nami has doubts about Luffy's goal. Gaimon tells the pair he cannot leave until his mind is set at ease about something.
Twenty years ago, Gaimon came to the island to find treasure with a pirate crew, but could not find the treasure anywhere. Gaimon, determined that there is treasure, wanders off to look further. He finds a hill the crew had looked around, but not on the summit. He climbs the hill, and finds treasure chests in a dip on the top. Astonished to actually find the treasure, he fells down the hill into an empty chest his crew found earlier and fell unconscious. After he awoke, he was stuck inside the chest, and found that the crew had sailed away without him. Realizing that he now has a claim to all the treasure, he attempts to go back to retrieve it, but as he is stuck in the chest he cannot climb the hill to reach it. He returns to the shore to call to his crew, but they never returned.
Gaimon explains that over the years, a few pirates have come to the island to find the treasure, and Gaimon has scared them off with his threats of a curse. Nami and Luffy agree to get the treasures for Gaimon, as they rightfully belong to him for guarding them so long. As they approach the hill, Gaimon gets excited that the treasure he has desired for so long is finally within his reach.
Luffy finds five chests on the top of the hill, but refuses to throw them down. Nami is furious, but Gaimon guesses what's wrong. After twenty years of guarding them, the treasure chest are revealed to be empty, looted before Gaimon ever set foot on the island.
Tearfully, Gaimon thanks Luffy and Nami for their kindness, despite learning the fate of the treasure. Even though Gaimon is upset, Luffy lightens him up by saying that in another twenty years Gaimon might have died without knowing the treasure was gone. He then offers him the chance to join his crew and find One Piece, but Gaimon declines.
As Nami and Luffy leave, he explains that he already has another treasure to protect. Most of the people who come to the island are poachers, trying to kill the strange animals on the island. After guarding the treasure for twenty years, he feels attached to them and despite not having the treasure he can live happily protecting the island. Luffy promises to leave and find One Piece some day.
Mission 7
The Forgers return to the boutique to get Anya measured for her Eden Academy school uniform. The boutique owner warns the Forgers of discrimination from Eden alumni families, and strife between dorm students and commuter students, after Loid reveals he came from a third-rate rural school. The owner also points out that commuter students are frequently kidnapped as only wealthy families can afford to attend Eden, causing Anya to become visibly frightened of going. The owner reassures Anya and rings up the required uniform alterations for the Forgers, directing them to another store for more supplies.
After the Forgers leave the boutique, they eat at a restaurant. There, Loid is given a cipher by the chef while being served his meal with a coded message in the form of the sauce, directing him to his next briefing at 1300 hours, five days later at Safe House D While Loid confirms this, he expresses disdain at the method of communication.
On the day of the briefing, Loid receives a call from the boutique about the completed uniform alterations. Due to his briefing, he asks Yor to bring Anya to the tailor to pick up the uniforms and leaves. Loid approaches a photo booth, revealing it as a secret elevator to a safe house of WISE, where Handler greets him. Handler reprimands Twilight for the expense reports from renting a castle and furniture. Twilight responds by giving more expense reports from Anya's required uniform and school supplies, citing them as essential to the mission, and Handler dismisses the topic out of exasperation.
Handler moves on to brief Twilight for Phase Two of Operation Strix: the social gathering. Handler gives a brief description of how Eden Academy works and that the social circle that Donovan Desmond belongs to is accessible to students joining their honor program as Imperial Scholars, along with their parents. To become an Imperial Scholar, they must obtain eight Stella Stars from exceptional grades and contributions to society. Handler instructs Twilight to develop Anya into an Imperial Scholar and warns him of accumulating eight Tonitrus Bolts that lead to expulsion. As Handler moves into their plan of attack, Twilight is uneasy at Anya's capability to become an Imperial Scholar.
At the boutique, Anya tries on her new Eden Academy uniform, delightedly showing off and posing to Yor. Anya decides to wear the uniform for the rest of the day. Yor and Anya stop by the park, where Anya continues to show off her uniform to other people and earns praise from other mothers. As Yor watches other mothers deciding what to cook, Yor is reminded of the events at the admissions interview and wishes to become a better mother to Anya, despite it being a fake family. When Anya returns, Yor decides to stop by the supermarket and try to cook dinner for that night. Several delinquents eye Anya as an Eden Academy student, assuming Yor is a nanny, and plan to get money from the two.
As Yor purchases her groceries at the cashier, Anya decides to go outside. When Anya exits the supermarket, the delinquents grab Anya and cover her mouth, reminding her of the boutique owner's warning. Before one of the delinquents is about to threaten Anya to strip her uniform to sell it, Yor hits him in the face with her bag of groceries, causing her groceries to be sent flying. The other delinquents attempt to extort Yor for the injured delinquent's hospital bills, but Yor reveals she just used all of her money. One of the delinquents grabs a pumpkin and tries to punch Yor with it, only for Yor to slice through the pumpkin with her bare hand and break it into several pieces.
Yor asserts that she is Anya's mother and threatens the delinquents to end up like the pumpkin, causing them to run away. Yor comforts Anya with a hug but becomes depressed that all of the groceries are in a mess now. Anya pats Yor on the head and declares that she loves Yor as she is a cool and strong mother, and imitates Yor's punch. Anya asks Yor to train her to become strong like her and be safe at Eden Academy. Yor realizes she may not be a normal mother but becomes confident with her own abilities, and they return home to train.
Loid returns home to see Yor and Anya practicing punching. In confusion, he remains uneasy at fulfilling his task.
Morgan Le Fay
Tales are spun and the soft murmurs of the name Morgan Le Fay are whispered in groves, villages, and kingdoms alike. The dark enchantress of ill repute was not always so, and her story matured in the great kingdom of Camelot itself.
Morgan Le Fay roamed the courts of Camelot inspiring awe and drawing many a knight's gaze in her direction. In the libraries, she was found tutoring under the master wizard, Merlin. It was in those dusty halls, filled with arcane grimoires, tomes and parchments littered with enchantments, that she learned to hone in on her talents as a sorceress, revealing new avenues of power that were previously hidden.
King Arthur and Morgan Le Fay grew closer over their time together in Camelot, frequently seen hand-in-hand at the royal dances, side-by-side in the war room discussing strategies and plans of attack. There was another, however, that did not enjoy how close the two were getting.
Queen Guinevere lurked those same hallways, quiet and frustrated to be seemingly left behind and forgotten. In those moments alone that she still maintained with the King, she sowed seeds of distrust in Arthur's mind and from Arthur in turn to Merlin.
The schemes were brought to fruition after a heated exchange took place between Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur and Merlin. Angered at being shamed for trivial reasons in full view of his loyal subjects, Arthur used the arsenal of thoughts provided by the Queen and brandished them as a weapon against Morgan Le Fay. She was accused of insubordination and conspiracy to usurp the throne. Abashed at the groundless allegations and bitter that not even her mentor would come to her aid, Morgan Le Fay's sorrow transformed into utter fury as she condemned the royal pair. Turning away, she blast open the doors of the throne room, leaving them broken and charred as she walked away from Camelot, making a decision at that moment only to return when she was prepared to truly take the throne.
With Tiamat's arrival, the gods on edge and unprepared, that time has finally come.
Light of Hope
Born on the alternate Draenor, the sanctuary of the exiled draenei, Yrel was dedicated to her faith. She grew up in the Temple of Karabor, the center of the Holy Light for her people, and served as an acolyte. Devoted to her beliefs and her studies, she showed promise as a healer. Prophet Velen noticed her talent. He invited her to train as his pupil and began to teach her the value of leadership and sacrifice. But Yrel carried a dark secret within her. Velen sensed it, and he foresaw that for good or ill, she had a larger role to play. Yet when she considered her prospects, Yrel preferred to stay inside the temple, quietly caring for those around her. Unfortunately, that ideal did not survive.
Her peaceful life was shattered when the savage orc clans forged themselves into a fighting force named the Iron Horde and set out to conquer Draenor. Yrel was captured and flung into a war. Enslaved by the Iron Horde, she eventually gained combat experience while fighting the orcish threat. After the demise of Velen and numerous betrayals from within draenei society, Yrel took upon herself the burden of leading her people. She became a member of the Council of Exarchs, and an important figure among both the draenei and the Alliance forces on Draenor.
Arathi Basin
Ham shivered in the cool evening air, rubbing his arms vigorously. Priestly vestments were fine for the Stormwind Cathedral, but in the muddy foothills of this accursed basin, he found himself wishing for a warm woolen sweater. Supplies such as wool were kept for the truly cold climes, not merely brisk ones such as Arathi, after the sun dipped below the horizon. At least the golden tabard draped over his torso brought some scant warmth.
He leaned against the flag post behind him and glanced back towards the smithy. His eyes could just barely discern the silhouettes of men within, working in as much light as they dared. Ham, however, was not built for heavy lifting, and so they'd "asked" him to make himself useful and watch out for any Defiler activity. He glared at the dusty windowpane. What he wouldn't give to be inside, out of the wind, preparing to leave this constant fear...
A sudden rotten stench assailed his nostrils. The priest whipped around, slamming right into the mace aimed at his solar plexus. Its twin slammed into the side of his head a moment later. The wielder's glowing eyes narrowed as his rictus grin widened. Ham struggled to stay upright, trying to call to memory words of prayer that had saved his life before, but just as he straightened a spiked shield rammed into his side, throwing him a few feet away. Wordlessly the two assailants advanced on their prey, weapons raised to strike. As they closed in, Ham threw back his head, letting loose a primal scream focused on inspiring terror in the most stalwart of hearts.
The mace-bearing Forsaken let out a dry chuckle and leered as Ham ran out of breath. "We don't scare easily," he rasped, before striking again.
"They got Ham, Sergeant Major," the dwarf whispered harshly, peering out the smeared glass as his gnarled hands busied themselves with loading his gun.
Sergeant Major Toban turned away from surveying the labor and approached the weathered hunter, squinting to make out the scene in the near-darkness outside. Two of the foul undead creatures capered about their flag post as they tore down the proud banner of the Alliance with their bony claws. Toban growled, barely keeping his temper in check. Such flagrant vandalism in plain view of his men showed either incredible stupidity or alarming arrogance. Considering how easily they had dispatched their lookout, though, he doubted they were idiots.
He touched the dwarf on the shoulder briefly, who responded with a slight nod. Assured that his front door guard was ready, Toban turned to the bustling activity occurring towards the back. His men were loading crates onto a supply wagon, crates that contained weapons, armor, and more mundane supplies such as nails and horseshoes. All were vital to keeping a large army fighting on the front lines. The Alliance had dire need of these resources on all fronts, and it was the duty of the League of Arathor, to which Toban proudly belonged, to see they received their shipment.
Of course, the League was not the only organization set on securing these supplies, the Sergeant Major reminded himself as he unsheathed the greatsword from its place on his back. The walking dead also sought the valuable goods that lay in Arathi Basin to fuel their own war effort. Their service here not only strengthened their own forces, but weakened the enemy as well... provided they could hold their position. "Be on your guard," he murmured, glancing around the darkened smithy. The few men under his command left the task of loading and took up their weapons. No words were spoken besides the soft prayer to the Light from Toban's lips. As the last syllable faded, the troops of the League stood a little straighter, shoulders set. The Light was with them; their commanding officer would see them through.
Toban's ears caught a slight scraping against the wooden floor, and he turned towards the back entrance just in time to watch the well-laid trap of Hunter Draig spread frost oil over the stone floor. Ice formed immediately under the feet of the intruder, whose decaying feet slipped on the newly-slick surface. More curses sounded from behind in what was unmistakably Gutterspeak.
"NOW!" the paladin roared as he charged in the midst of the invaders. The air rang with the clash of steel, the crackle of flame, and the cries of the wounded. The acrid scent of gunpowder increased with every aimed shot from Draig's corner. Blood stained both the golden sigil of Arathor and the grinning skull of the Defilers as they fought feverishly in the enclosed space. Toban smiled grimly as the creature before him winced with every successful blow it landed; his prayers had been answered, and each strike was countered with the Light's power.
Slowly, inexorably, they were pushing the invading force back. As they neared the door, a frightened horse's scream cut through the air. Draig leapt from his perch and dashed through the legs of the attackers, shoving them easily aside. The dwarf pushed through the last of them to find one of their cart horses dead, the other being assaulted mercilessly by one of the undead. Draig belted out a sharp whistle. Drawn by the noise, the horse attacker looked down at the dwarf, who waved with a smirk. Snarling, he advanced on the diminutive hunter, dagger clutched in his grasp. He was stopped by two long legs cannoning into his side. Shrieking in rage at its master being in danger, the tallstrider raked and stomped on its fallen foe relentlessly.
The unearthly shriek outside was the last straw for the Defilers. They gave one last half-hearted rush and then fled, disappearing into the scrub surrounding the hill.
"They'll be back," the gruff Draig said as he scratched his pet under its beak.
Toban nodded gravely. "No doubt. But for now..." he said, and walked around to the flag post. With care, he replaced the battered standard of the Alliance. "For now, the smithy is ours."
Oda Eiichiro
WOAH!! THE YEAR'S ALREADY STARTED!! Happy New Year. I worked very diligently last year. That's coming from me so there's totally no reason for you to doubt me and stuff. Right, so carrying on that grand tradition, you guessed it! I'll do my best!! Looking forward to this year with you.
はっ!!明けてるっ!!明けましておめでとうございます。去年の僕はよく頑張った。自分で言うんだから間違いない。さて、さしあたって今年は…うん!!頑張ろう!!今年もよろしく
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