Chapter 32
"Damn it…"
Silas rubbed his cheek, wincing. The slap still burned. Not because he couldn't dodge it—he just hadn't expected that much power behind it.
"Ow," he muttered. "That actually hurt."
Tashigi's eye twitched.
"Good! Maybe next time you'll think before—"
"And another thing!" Silas jabbed a finger at her face.
"Your whole goal is ridiculous! Taking swords from people like Mihawk or Shanks? That's not justice—it's delusion. Those blades choose strength, not some Marine with a hero complex!"
"I AM NOT SELF-RIGHTEOUS!" she snapped—and bit down on his finger.
"GYAAAAHHH!" Silas screamed.
"WHAT THE HELL?! LET GO!"
"MMMMRPH!" she growled, clamped down like a wild animal.
"OW OW OW! This is assault! You're biting me!"
"SHUT UP!"
Rain poured as they wrestled—Silas flailing, Tashigi locked on like a sea beast. A pirate with a 35-million bounty, stopped cold by a Marine's teeth.
Finally, she let go. Silas cradled his finger, staring at the bite marks.
"That's it!" he roared, grabbing her collar and raising his fist.
"I don't care if you're a woman, you crazy—"
Tashigi flinched, arms up, eyes squeezed shut.
Silas froze.
He lowered his hand, smirking.
"Scaredy housewife. Knew it."
Her eyes snapped open—furious. She swung.
"Nope!" Silas ducked.
"Not falling for that twice! You hit like a sea king!"
Then—he ran.
"GOTTA GO! BYE!" he shouted, boots splashing through the storm.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!" Tashigi chased after him, slipping on the cobblestones.
Marines watched, baffled.
"Are they… fighting?"
"Or flirting?"
"Should we follow?"
"Do you want to get between those two?"
They all shook their heads.
---
The chase twisted through Loguetown's alleys. Silas taunted. Tashigi threatened.
"You're the most infuriating pirate I've ever met!"
"Thank you! I work hard at it!"
"When I catch you, I'm going to—"
"What? Bite me again? My finger still hurts!"
Their voices echoed until they vanished around a corner, leaving confused Marines behind.
Then the storm turned violent.
A sudden gust slammed into Silas, lifting him off his feet.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" he shouted, spinning through the air.
"THIS AIN'T NORMAL!"
He crashed near the harbor, soaked and coughing.
"At least I lost that crazy Marine…"
Then he saw them—three figures pushing through the wind.
"WHAT IS THIS WIND?!" Luffy yelled.
"THIS IS INSANE!" Sanji shouted, coat whipping.
"DAMNED STRONG!" Zoro grunted.
"What kind of Devil Fruit is this?!"
They struggled forward—until they collided.
CRASH!
A tangle of limbs hit the dock.
"GET OFF ME!"
"WHOSE ARM IS THAT?!"
"MY CIGARETTE!"
"STOP GRABBING MY SWORDS!"
They scrambled apart.
"Too close," Sanji muttered.
"Yeah," Silas said.
"Luffy can't swim, remember?"
Then came a shout from the ship.
"LUFFY! ZORO! SANJI! RED HEAD!"
They turned. The Going Merry rocked in the waves. Nami and Usopp waved from the deck.
"There's the ship!" Zoro yelled.
"But with this wind? We'll never make it on foot."
"It's too dangerous," Sanji said, shivering.
"How do we get out there?" Silas asked.
Luffy grinned.
"I've got a fun idea!"
Everyone stared.
"Fun idea?" Silas echoed.
"Why do I feel like this ends badly?"
"If this involves flying," Zoro said, "I'm out."
"Don't tell me," Sanji groaned.
Luffy grabbed a post, stretched his arms back into the storm.
"Hey, wait—"
"GUM-GUM ROCKET!"
SNAP!
Luffy launched forward, grabbing the others in a bear hug mid-flight.
"GYAAAAHHHH!"
"THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!" Silas shouted.
"I'M GONNA BE SEASICK BEFORE WE EVEN LAND!" Sanji groaned.
"STUPID CAPTAIN!" Zoro yelled.
"Shishishishi! This is fun!" Luffy laughed.
CRASH!
They slammed onto the deck, sliding across the wet planks.
"We're alive," Silas groaned.
"Somehow."
"Speak for yourself," Sanji muttered.
"My spine's in pieces."
"GUYS!" Nami ran over, Usopp behind her.
"We were so worried! The Marines invaded the harbor!"
"They had cannons!" Usopp added.
"We had to sail or get blown apart!"
Luffy popped up, grinning.
"See? All worked out!"
"Next time," Zoro muttered,
"No flying."
"Normal?" Silas laughed, brushing off rain.
"Our captain's a rubber guy who thinks with his stomach."
"I'm hungry," Luffy said, rubbing his belly,
"What's for dinner?"