[H2][CENTRE][color=fff200][b][ARC 2][/b][/color][/CENTRE][/H2]
[H2][CENTRE][color=fff200][b]KUROZUMI HAKU[/b][/color][/CENTRE][/H2]

Cadog moved along with Ryu Burnet, being shown around the place as he started to light up his smoke pipe.

A brief concentration of his power, vapor of alcohol filled the smoke pipe before it quickly caught fire. Leading to a brief burst of blue flame burning as the tobacco was thoroughly burnt in a flash.

Inhaling, the smoke produced gave a different tinge. One that he occasionally used when he needed a change of taste.

Blowing outwards, Cadog got right into the point.

“It wasn’t just rain that brought us here.” He took another puff and continued. “We’re hunting pirates.”

“We planned to continue the chase, but just in case, I’ll station a few of our men here if they come to kidnap anyone.”

Burnet’s shoulders drooped, the man releasing a weary sigh. “Ah hell.” Running a hand across his head, he admitted, “Guess I appreciate the warning.”

[i]Hrnng.[/i] Cadog puffed once before gesturing to their surroundings. “That’s why I need your help in knowing the geography, once I have that. I’ll put Haku there.”

When asked who Haku was, Cadog waved his hands. “The cabin boy, fresh out of the academy. He’ll be able to handle it.”

As they made their rounds, Cadog looked upwards and sniffed the air. It was changing and lighter.

[i]Again, this fast?[/i] Looks like even the predictable winds of East Blue were a bit erratic than usual. “Looks like it’ll be another thunderstorm.”

“Pardon me, but we’ll need to move faster.” Cadog urged. It seemed that he couldn’t be as thorough as possible.

—

Haku followed Coriander alongside the girls, talking and answering their questions as best as he can. Though when asked about some parts of the Grand Line, Haku decided to clarify them.

[color=fff200]“Yes, there are flying bubbles in the Sabaody Archipelago. It’s their livelihood in fact.”[/color] Haku said to the pair of children. [color=fff200]“Ships would be coated in the same material as the bubbles to allow transport as they dive into the sea.”[/color]

He added after a moment of thought. [color=fff200]“I’m not too sure why it happens, the shipwrights or scholars would know better.”[/color]

Personally, he thinks that God must have been having fun when they did that. After all, he himself made plenty of bubbles when he was young. 

While he didn’t know why it occurred, he wasn’t ignorant of its composition and its numerous applications.

Nor the ways to burst it, literally. 

[color=fff200]“I’ll tell you more later, we’ve arrived and I’m sure you’re hungry as well.”[/color] Haku said, opening the door for them to go in first before he removed his shoes and then only entered.

[color=fff200]“Greetings, I’m Haku, 373th of G-1 base. Sorry for intruding on your hospitality.”[/color] He nodded towards the two adults, parents? Perhaps he had the wrong idea of Coriander: he thought she was an orphan.

Wiping her hands with a rag, a woman with a platinum blonde ponytail and pink apron remarked, “Don’t be like that: I appreciate our men in uniform.” Nodding her head to the larger room in the home, Haku noted the front of a bakery, the scent of bread permating the home. With a wink, she added, “Tell your division we’ve got some discounts for Marines!”

A man behind her, hair and goatee blonde, leaning against the door frame, paused his careful observation of Haku to add, “Since when?”

“Since now.”

Coriander jumped in. [color=B3ADAB]“These are my parents, Marjoram and Hyssop.”[/color] Haku was waved into a dining area, the table set, a sweet smell coming from the platter at the table, piled with the grid patterned quickbread. A pair of pitchers with sweet smelling viscous liquids sat nearby. Peppermint jumped over to the table, while Rue only did so after kicking off her shoes.

“...Rue what are you doing?” Hyssop wondered, taking up the rear.

Rue looked up, before pointing at Haku. “He did it too.”

Those present took note of Haku’s feet, amusement or intrigue coming to the local faces. Coriander offered, [color=B3ADAB]“Wh-whatever’s comfortable for you is fine!”[/color]

[color=fff200]“Ah, force of habit.”[/color] Haku said after a moment of contemplation and realization that not everyone does that. An odd behavior for sure, do people not take off their shoes in their homes?

He supposed he was lucky that in his cadet days, others didn’t really question that behavior. Then again, he’d seen numerous other oddities amongst the marine cadets and their own superstition, perhaps he was inured to it?

[color=fff200]Oh well.[/color]

[color=fff200]“I’ll be sure to inform my fellow marines, they’ll certainly appreciate some tasty bread over hard tacks.”[/color] He walked over and gestured for Rue and Coriander to take their seat first before he took his own.

[color=fff200]“Oh, I’ve never seen this type of bread before. What is it?”[/color] He leaned forward inquisitively as he looked at the luxurious and freshly made bread. That offer of the discounted bread seemed a lot tempting now if this was the quality to be expected.

[color=fff200]“And this sauce, two types of honey? No, one’s honey but I’m not too familiar with the other-”[/color] Haku gazed at the syrup, he had never seen this before. Was this something only available to the locals?

Rue’s jaw dropped. ”You don’t know about WAFFLES!?”

Peppermint seemed a little shaken. “Marines don’t get to eat waffles?”

Hyssop shook with giggles of amusement at the two girls, while Coriander explained, [color=B3ADAB]“It’s not like it’s normal rations or anything!”[/color] Taking a breath, she explained, [color=B3ADAB]“Waffles are a sweet bread cooked with an iron shaped to press them down. See how they’re all crispy? But they’re soft on the inside!”[/color] To demonstrate, her fork crunched through the waffle and she took a bite. 

[color=B3ADAB]“Oh!”[/color] she gasped out, grabbed the pitcher of syrup, pouring some onto her plate, filling many of the squares of her snack. [color=B3ADAB]“Syrup is really good, it’s like a sweeter honey that…comes from.”[/color] Her face went blank. [color=B3ADAB]“Where does syrup come from?”[/color]

“It’s sap from the maple tree, boiled to remove the water,” Hyssop explained.

[color=B3ADAB]“Oh, from trees huh? Tree sap as sweet as candy…seems like it’d be from the Grand Line!”[/color]

“Oh, stop it,” Marjoram responded with a chortle as the family started into their breakfast.

[color=fff200]“No, is it that important?”[/color] Haku raised a brow at that apologetically before answering Peppermint's question. “We get bread, but most of the time, it’s hardtack biscuit. The little mites inside of it add character apparently.”

At least, according to Cadog who was often eating them dry or mixed with alcohol.

Peppermint was horrified.

Looking at Coriander's demonstration as she cut the waffle, Haku followed suit and mimed her actions. True enough, it parted easily to reveal a soft texture underneath, most similarly like those bread, at least, when they are hot out of the oven.

Curiously, he continued on and added the syrup on top. Gingerly, he took a small piece and bit onto it.

[color=fff200]Hmm.[/color] Haku savored the taste before smiling and brightening before he eagerly dug into it. Politely of course, he was no savage.

[color=fff200]“Well, there’s a lot of places in the Grand Line that have something similar. Sugarcane is one of them.”[/color] He added to the conversation in between bites, recalling the local sugarcanes of Wano. Kids used to love chewing them when they’re in season.

[color=fff200] “So, there’s never been any pirate activity here before?”[/color] He asked Coriander's parents during one of the few small talks. [color=fff200]“Also, why is it called Melody Island? Is there good music here?”[/color]

Marjoram explained, “We hear about pirate attacks all the time in the newspaper, but we don’t really get many outsiders here at all. Burnet and Basil ended up living here, but when it comes to mercantile we have our own merchants who go out and trade our lumber or flour for goods.”

“I think we had some folk from the kingdom here three years ago or so?” Hyssop mentioned without certainty. “The Chowder Kingdom gets trouble of course. We’re too out of the way and lacking in valuables or goods to turn for quick profit, but it’s not like…” he flashed a quick glance to Peppermint, who’s fork swirled around the syrup on her plate. “It’s not like it never happens.”

[color=fff200]So there’s a chance of it happening.[/color] Haku nodded in between bites as he digested the information, this complicated things severely as this place had very little experience dealing with pirates.

He ignored the look given to Peppermint despite how brief it was, enabling Haku to guess parts of it at least.

Seeming to change the subject, Coriander wondered, [color=B3ADAB]“Why are we ‘Tune Town’ on ‘Melody Island’? I sing for choir but Mother Basil hasn’t been living here forever.”[/color]

Hyssop explained, “Well, apparently when the island was settled, it was known but not named. The folk who came here were impressed by the natural environment, it was like it was singing. An invitational hymn of sorts. Then they found another city on the far side, centuries old, but the original name idea stuck.”

[color=fff200]“Aw, I had thought the Island sings music.”[/color] Haku felt a little disappointed at that but nevertheless kept his chin up and turned to Coriander. [color=fff200]“But it’s a nice story, regardless. Maybe one day, the choir music here will be why Melody Island and Tune Town are named such?”[/color] Coriander gave a curious look.

Marjoram offered, “The island really is beautiful. Maybe you and Coriander should take a long walk after you eat? There’s plenty to see.” Hyssop’s eyes went a bit wide as he gave his wife a firm look.

Coriander lit up, [color=B3ADAB]“That sounds great!”[/color]

[color=fff200]“Well…”[/color] Haku initially wanted to object since he was tasked to help out the village but Cadog’s mission was still the more important task.

Weighing between the two, Haku mentally apologized to Cadog and the Kirin’s crew before he took initiative. [color=fff200]“I would like that.”[/color]

[color=fff200]“Are there any famous sites or places that you have in mind?”[/color] He turned to Coriander.

Shoveling the rest of her food into her mouth, Coriander offered, [color=B3ADAB]“Uh, I’ll surprise you!”[/color]

“Where are we going?” Rue wondered.

Marjoram asked, “Actually, with Coriander gone, would you two be able to help me around here? I’ll have some yummy bread for you. And if you want you can grab the boys.”

Hyssop murmured, “You’re sending Cori off alone?”

“She’s not alone, she’ll be with Haku!” Hyssop didn’t seem to be eased by his wife’s insistence.

[color=fff200]“I’ll be in your care then.”[/color] He smiled and bowed slightly to Coriander as he stood up, plate cleaned and finished. [color=fff200]“Shall we?”[/color]

He gestured for her to lead the way before hearing on whether she’ll be safe.

[color=fff200]“Don’t worry, sir. I won’t let anything happen to her.”[/color] Haku assured Hyssop. [color=fff200]“I’m a marine after all.”[/color]