What a lively city.

A pleasant air hangs in the streets as the numerous musicians play their scores.

Everywhere you look you can see someone either performing or dancing to a tune or another.

You can even hear the faint singing from inside the bars as the drunks sing off key along to the musician’s tune.

 

The buildings in the main streets are colorful and even if not in any order the color doesn’t look disorderly at all.

Beautifully arranged flowers bring a sweet and calming scent to the surroundings.

The colorful decorations hanging around the buildings bring a feel of a festival.

Some of the decorations even seem to be advertisements or encouraging messages to the musicians that the people support.

 

A young girl wearing a white tutu is hopping from person to person, giving away what looks like a flyer.

As she spots me without a flyer, she starts hopping my way with a spin while her fake angel wings bounce stiffly on her back.

“Here you go! Please come to the show! It will be a blast!” She says in a peppy voice while her eyes are sparkling.

She suddenly puts the flyer to my pocket and starts to look for her next target and spins away.

 

“Well she certainly came and went like a Grand Line storm.” I mutter to myself.

I wonder what show she was advertising.

I take the flyer out of my pocket and straighten it for a proper look.

‘MUSICAL MAYHEM’ reads in big white letters while the background shows a big open-air stage.

 

The stage is split in half in color and on both sides are pictures of the contestants.

On the red side is a man from the Longarm tribe wearing a red garb familiar to Kano with orange headphones.

While on the blue side is a blond young man wearing black hooded jacket, black pants, a gray camo t-shirt and black headphones.

On his shoulder is a grinning baby transponder snail with checkered white and black shell and it’s also wearing black headphones.

 

‘SCRATCHMEN APOO VS JEREMIAH CROSS & SOUNDBITE’

It seems to be a musical performance competition between individuals or teams.

This showdown is scheduled for tomorrow at the Great Open-Air Stage at the Concert Grounds.

My first priority is the Grand Theatre so I will see if I have the time for this.

 

Now then… which way is the Boulevard of Song & Dreams.

I look around but don’t really see anything that shows the way to said boulevard.

Maybe there is a map somewhere here, but I certainly don’t recognize anything like that in my imminent vicinity.

I guess asking a local wouldn’t be a bad idea.

 

Now to find a said local that isn’t that preoccupied with singing and dancing…

… I can’t really tell if I can disturb any of these people or not…

They all look so busy singing and dancing and at the same time not, so it makes it is really hard to tell.

Seems like I should just use Haki to find someone while I wander around.

 

Hmm… I think I found some…

Three people in the upcoming alleyway to the left.

One of the presences is moving this way in a hurry.

It feels like the presence behind this one is tailing the other and the last presence seems to be hiding in the front.

 

Looks like two of them are trying to trap the one who is in a hurry.

I sneak up to the roofs and activate enhanced hearing while looking at the situation below.

Finally the one who was hiding appears to block the path.

Two adult men with swords surround a girl who is carrying some sort of long and thin bag.

 

It looks like a bag for clothes since it is too thin for a body bag.

“No use running anymore girly.” The man who was chasing the girl said while grinning maliciously.

“Just hand over the bag and maybe you’ll leave here with your life.” The other man says while unsheathing his blade.

“No one will hear you scream in all the noise that everyone is making all the time.” He licks his blade and grins.

 

“Never! I must get this dress to Miss Aria! Tomorrow is her big performance!”

The girl tries to back away but has nowhere to run or hide.

She has her back against the wall while the men approach her.

The men prepare to attack and the girl curls up, her eyes closed.

 

I jump down next to the men.

Life Return: Shock Needle.

I use few thin strands of my hair and stab them at the men.

Using my Will, I create an electric shock, disabling them and making them drop their weapons.

 

And just in case they aren’t immobile enough, I kick the back of their knees to make them fall.

As a finishing touch, I knock them both out with a nice hard kick to the head.

From the reactions of Observation Haki, they both are definitely out cold by now.

I turn towards the girl who is still curled up against the wall.

 

“… Did my guardian angel come and save me or are they just toying with me?”

With my enhanced hearing I hear the girl mutter quietly to herself.

“I know that I’m as lovely as an angel but I prefer to be as handsome as the devil.” I jokingly answer back.

Stunned by my voice that she hadn’t heard before the girl looks up and sees me and notices the thugs on the ground.

 

“Di-did you… save me?” She shakily asks as she tries to get up.

“I just happened to pass by while I saw what was going on.” I grab her arm and lift her up while smiling reassuringly.

“Th-thank you. If you hadn’t been here, I…”

She shudders at the thought of what would have happened to her.

 

I grab a candy drop that I bought from one the stalls on the way and put it in her mouth.

“Eat that and try to calm down a bit. You are fine now.” I say to the startled girl, trying to distract her thoughts.

Seems like she is starting to calm down.

“By the way. Do you know which way is the Boulevard of Song & Dreams?”

 

Better to ask now so that she can keep her thoughts out of what just happened.

“I’ve just arrived here and haven’t seen any map and the guideposts didn’t show it.”

“Ah. The main map can be found in the Music Square at the center of the island.”

“The guideposts usually show the different places in the main streets and side streets.”

 

“Most of the main streets are connected to the Music Square and there you can find your way to the Boulevard of Song & Dreams.”

“Thank you. That certainly helps a lot.”

“No problem. It was the least I could do.”

“By the way… Weren’t you in a hurry?” I point at the bag she is holding.

 

“Eh? Ah! I have to deliver the dress to Miss Aria!” She starts to panic.

“Well shouldn’t you hurry along? I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Thank you very much!” She bows and quickly starts to leave the alley.

I wave at her as she leaves.

 

Now then… who are these guys? From the look of them, they seem to be bounty hunters.

But why are bounty hunters doing things like these?

Better search them for clues, just in case I bump into a similar situation here.

Hmm? What is this jolly roger? A skull with purple wings and two sabre?

 

Pirates disguising themselves as bounty hunters?

Have they been hired for dirty work or are they planning something else?

I better turn these guys over to the guards before I go on my way.

Hopefully this won’t develop into a huge mess.

 

Hello World!

It's been too... HOT! SO HOT! BURNING! (Terry)

Here we have a bit of a boring chapter but it also introduces a bit of what is going to happen in the island and in the future. I also put an easter egg in the chapter... or should cameo be the more appropriate term? Well anyhoo I'll try to get something out but I've been busy and the heat is melting me. I've gotten plenty of ideas about what to write and also I'm remembering my old ideas along the years that I never wrote down. I want to write down the Bleach fanfic that I thought about years ago but after a bit of thinking... urgh it needs A LOT OF DAMN WORK! Not gonna bother with it for a while but will still think about it.

Even with all this summer heat... I've gotten a slight cold... funny. Seems that even the human body doesn't like it when it is assaulted by the different extremes of the temperature at the same time. So remember this kids! Never get nekkid in a room and blast the aircon to max cold!

Stay cool but not too cool and happy readings everybody!